In spite of Brown’s best efforts to take credit for the sterling efforts of the emergency services, all praise really is due to the staff of the hospital for what seems to have been a thoroughly calm and competent evacuation. Not that Londonist was there or anything – but they even managed to move two patients who were mid-operation without mishap. Extraordinarily impressive.

Patients are being cared for by specialist Royal Marsden staff at nearby hospitals, and (bar a bit of smoke inhalation) no-one was hurt during the whole sorry affair.

Our mole at the Marsden says that the roof and plant areas of the building were badly damaged, but the wards were barely affected, and the Victorian façade and older parts of the structure were untouched. Patients should all have been moved back in by early next week, and something like normal service resumed.

A lucky escape then for one of Britain’s greatest institutional heroes.

In-case-of-emergency piccie courtesy of Ewan M’s flickr photo stream.