Fire crews were called to Nobles hospital today (Thurs) after reports of a fire in a sluice room.

Three appliances from Douglas attended the scene just before 2pm and firemen using breathing apparatus extinguished a fire within a washing machine used for cleaning medical equipment.

The machine was in a side room to the main hospital building and crews and hospital maintenance staff used a fan and the building's fire ventilation system to remove all smoke from the ward and corridors before the building was declared safe.

It's claimed that due to the quick actions of hospital staff and the high standard of fire prevention systems, there was no risk to members of the public.