Naas Hospital A&E Department open for patients once again following tragic events yesterday

The Accident and Emergency Department at Naas General Hospital has reopened following the serious accident at the hospital in which an elderly man lost his life.

A male patient, believed to be in his 70s, died when an ambulance burst into flames outside the emergency department shortly after 1.30pm yesterday. Two medics were also injured in the incident, one of whom had to be brought to the burns unit of St James' Hospital in Dublin. The other medic was treated at Naas Hospital before being released a short time later.

The emergency department was closed while four units of the Kildare Fire Service battled the blaze, resulting in the evacuation of all patients attending the A&E. It reopened last night at around 9pm once Garda Forensic officers were finished at the scene.

A statement from the hospital read:

"Naas General Hospital wishes to confirm that its Emergency Department (ED) reopened at 9pm this evening, with the Department now receiving both walk-in attendances and ambulance admissions.

"The hospital would like to thank the public for their co-operation during the disruption to services at the hospital earlier today."