Hospital Evacuated

Why are smokers so desperate that they have to hide away for a secret smoke.

Around 110 patients from five floors of the Can Ruti Hospital in Badalona (just north of Barcelona), had to be evacuated at lunchtime yesterday as a result of thick smoke originating from a small fire in the hospital basement warehouse, it is believed the fire was started by a discarded cigarette end.

It only took around 40 minutes for fire-fighters to extinguish the blaze, which fortunately did not require the evacuation of the intensive care department.

Nobody was injured and the patients were taken care of in a temporary field hospital set up outside, while essential services such as electricity, gas and telephone lines were reconnected.

No doubt the culprit was also outside having another cigarette, join the campaign now, Stop Smoking in 2008.