Hero doctor rescues Oxford jab doses from burning vaccination centre after it burst into flames as people queued for Covid injections
- Doctor was seen pulling refrigerated container of vaccines from health centre
- Patients were evacuated from Emberbrook Community Centre on Saturday
- Volunteers praise doctor’s heroic effort, saying: ‘It was his priority to get it out’
- Do you know the heroic doctor? Email luke.may@mailonline.co.uk
A heroic doctor was seen rescuing Covid jabs from a burning vaccination centre after it burst into flames as locals queued for their injections.
Emberbrook Community Centre in Thames Ditton, Surrey, was evacuated on Saturday after volunteers spotted smoke billowing from its roof.
Locals turning up for their Covid vaccine had to be turned away as firefighters rushed to the scene.
But before the fire was even out, one brave doctor headed back into the building and was seen pulling out a large refrigerated container holding precious doses of the vaccine.
Surrey Heartlands CCG confirmed today that all of the vaccines were saved from the fire.
Locals turning up for their Covid-19 vaccine had to be turned away from Emberbrook Community Centre after a fire broke out on Saturday afternoon
Pictured: A firefighter stands on top of the vaccination centre as the flames are put out yesterday. Volunteers spotted smoke coming from the roof of the building in Surrey, and initially thought it was from a neighbouring property
Anne Smith, 68, was volunteering at the health centre’s car park when she saw the heroic effort.
She told GetSurrey: ‘One of the doctors who was concerned actually went back in for the vaccine, which I thought was amazing, in a great big refrigerated container he managed to drag it out. It was his priority to get that out.’
Surrey Fire and Rescue Service said it arrived within five minutes of the first 999 call at around 3.30pm on Saturday.
Pictures of the incident being shared online show smoke billowing out of the roof of the building.
Surrey Heartlands CCG said the centre was being used as a vaccination site at the time and that the vaccine supply has been secured.
It said: ‘We apologise to anyone who was booked in for their vaccination this afternoon, and wasn’t able to receive it.’
The next vaccination clinic is expected to run at a different location on Wednesday.
Ms Smith spotted the smoke whilst outside, she added: ‘I could see the smoke but it was on the other side of the roof, I initially thought someone had a fire going at home. But it didn’t subside and it was very apparent very quickly [it was not a planned fire] because it stank, I think it was the insulation on fire.’
Surrey Fire and Rescue Service said it took less than five minutes for the first fire engine to arrive at the scene
Pictures of the incident being shared online show smoke billowing out of the roof of the building
Flames spread across the roof of the Emberbrook Community Centre. A GP surgery inside the building is expected to reopen as usual today
Surrey Fire and Rescue Service said people had self evacuated from Emberbrook Community Centre, in Raphael Drive, Thames Ditton, on Saturday before firefighters arrived at 3.33pm
While they were able to stop people from entering, volunteers also had to help evacuate people who were receiving their vaccine.
Ms Smith added: ‘It would have been mid stream. We were all very concerned that nobody should be left inside. We darted back quickly and made sure the place was clear.’
The CCG said Glenlyn (Giggs Hill) Surgery, which is housed in the same building, is planning to operate as usual today.
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