March 29, 2022 3.54 pm This story is over 24 months old

Man arrested over arson at Lincoln County Hospital A&E

Fire investigators confirmed it was deliberate

By Local Democracy Reporter

A fire at Lincoln County Hospital which “completely gutted” a treatment room and forced A&E to close is being investigated by police as a potential arson, with a 56-year-old man arrested.

Patients and staff were evacuated from the interventional radiology room after a fire at around 3am on Tuesday, March 29, with some treatments taking place in the building at the time.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust declared a ‘major incident‘ following the fire, and while nobody was reported injured, it caused ‘considerable’ damage in the form of smoke and soot.

Patients were moved to other areas of the hospital and the Emergency Department was kept closed to walk-in patients and emergency ambulance arrivals as a result of the fire, while Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue extinguished the blaze. It is still closed at the time of reporting.


Read: “Everything is black”: Treatment room ‘completely gutted’ in Lincoln hospital fire


The X-ray, CT and MRI imaging suite sustained extensive damage, and fire investigators have confirmed that this was a deliberate ignition.

A swift police response has seen a 56-year-old man from the Sleaford area being arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and remains in police custody.

Officers believe it to be an isolated incident and will be remaining on scene as well as around the local area over the next few days while enquiries are made.

Lincolnshire Police would like to hear from anyone with footage in and around the A&E department from between 2.40am and 3.15am, as well as anyone else with information that may help officers.

If you can assist, call 101 and quote incident 24 of March 29, or email [email protected] and use the same incident reference in the subject line.

*Lincolnshire Police previously reported the arrested man’s age as 57, but they issued a correction on March 30 saying he is 56.