An electrical fault is believed to be responsible for a sterilising machine catching fire in the X-ray department at Bradford Royal Infirmary .

Fairweather Green firefighters were called to the hospital at about 2am today following reports of a fire.

Watch commander Rick Sunderland said an updated alarm system at the hospital helped to prevent the fire from spreading.

He said: “Due to an updated alarm system and prompt action by the staff at the hospital, it reduced the likelihood of the fire developing as quickly as it could have done.”

Mr Sunderland said the fire did not spread from the machine.

He said: “When we got there the staff had turned the power off to it and disconnected some of the other pipes.

“When we got there it had got too smoky for him to stay.

“By the time we got there, there was slight smoke in the corridor so we sent two firefighters in breathing apparatus in and they put the fire out with an extinguisher and took the machine outside.”

Mr Sunderland said the X-ray department was empty at the time so nobody was evacuated and the department should not suffer any disruption today.

He said the fire was believed to have been caused by an electrical fault.

He said: “For other firms, it shows the benefits of fire doors and that they work properly."