Hero doctor rescues Oxford jab doses from burning vaccination centre after it burst into flames as people queued for Covid injections
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.
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.’
