London firefighters in gasmasks use crane to hoist obese patient with suspected coronavirus out of second floor window to be treated by paramedics in hazmats on the ground
- Rescue workers seen carrying patient through a window using an aerial ladder
- Wore rescue masks fitted with air filters and decontaminated equipment after
- All three emergency services involved in operation which forced road to close
Firefighters used an aerial ladder to remove an obese patient with suspected coronavirus from a London block of flats.
The rescue workers, wearing protective face masks fitted with air filters, were seen carrying the patient through a second-floor window before taking them down to hazmat-suited paramedics on the ground.
Afterwards they removed their helmets, face masks and boots for immediate decontamination, while their tunics and leggings were double-bagged and sent for cleaning.
The rescue workers, wearing protective face masks fitted with air filters, were seen carrying the patient through a second-floor window
The patient was loaded onto the aerial ladder before being carried to ambulance workers on the ground
Part of Uxbridge Road in Shepherds Bush, West London, had to be closed for the operation, which involved all three emergency services.
The ambulance service called the fire brigade for help at 4.01pm and they remained at the scene until 5.55pm.
MailOnline understands the patient was obese, which can raise the chance of severe symptoms for people with coronavirus.
It comes as the number of confirmed UK cases his 29,474 with 2,352 deaths.
The Government was facing criticism today for its slowness in increasing the number of people who could be tested for the virus.
Public Health England managed an average of just 7,994 tests per day last week but the number of tested people is lower because of repeat tests.
Officials hope the involvement of private labs will increase these figures in the coming days.
The patient was taken into the ambulance by paramedics, who were wearing hazmat suits
Ambulance workers and the fire brigade at an incident in Shepherd’s Bush, West London
A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: ‘Firefighters assisted London Ambulance Service crews to remove a patient with suspected Covid-19 symptoms from a property on Uxbridge Road in Shepherds Bush.
‘Firefighters were breathing air but wore respirators with a filter to remove airborne particles. The patient was brought to ground floor level via an aerial ladder platform. He was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews.
‘Fire crews who were in contact with the patient were safely undressed from their personal protective equipment.
‘Their face masks, boots and helmet were decontaminated at scene. Any equipment used at the incident was also washed with solution. Tunics and leggings were double bagged and sent for cleaning.’
The London Ambulance Service said: ‘We were called at 3:07pm yesterday to reports of an incident at a residential property on Uxbridge Road in Shepherd’s Bush.
‘We dispatched a number of responses to the scene including an ambulance crew. We treated a person and took them to hospital.’
It comes as the number of confirmed UK coronavirus cases rose to 29,474 with 2,352 deaths