Hospitals on major alert

Last updated at 15:50 07 July 2005


All London hospitals were on major incident alert after today's explosions.

More than 100 casualties and one of the dead were taken to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel.

Paul White, chief executive of Bart's and the London NHS Trust said three double-decker buses loaded with casualties had brought the injured to the hospital.

He told BBC Radio 4: "We have so far treated over 100 casualties, 10 are critical and seven are in a serious condition.

"There have been some fatalities, one here but no others that we have had brought in.

"We had three double-decker buses arrive with casualties. This is probably the most major (incident) we have had in recent years but we are coping well, we are not overwhelmed."

Among neighbouring counties sending emergency aid to London, the Royal Berkshire Ambulance Service said it had despatched nine emergency ambulances with three mobile officers and an equipment lorry to help the London Ambulance Service.

Ambulance services in Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and the Two Shires Ambulance Service were offering assistance to Berkshire to enable the service to continue operating.

Surrey Ambulance Service said it had dispatched 10 ambulances to London which were being put at the disposal of the London Ambulance Service.

A spokeswoman said 20 ambulance staff and two officers were involved with the assistance.

The official number of injured taken to University College Hospital was confirmed as 49.

Of these, four are critical injuries, five serious and 40 minor. No-one has yet been discharged.

Four people were in a critical condition at the Royal London Hospital, a spokeswoman said.

She confirmed that 59 casualties have been taken to the hospital so far, with many treated for minor injuries.

"Some have significant orthopaedic injuries requiring immediate surgery."

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