Ambulance bursts into flames and explodes outside Glasgow hospital

An ambulance burst into flames and exploded outside a Glasgow hospital on Wednesday (1 November).

The ambulance, which was not carrying a patient at the time, was destroyed after catching fire near Stobhill Hospital at around 1.50pm, the BBC reported. The Scottish Ambulance Service said it had not been responding to an emergency at the time of the fire.

"The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was alerted at 13.50 on Wednesday, 1 November to reports of an ambulance on fire outside Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow," a spokesman for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said.

"Operations Control immediately mobilized two appliances to the scene and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used high powered hoses to tackle and extinguish the flames."

According to the BBC, no one was injured and the fire has since been extinguished.

A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "No crew members were injured and our response to patients in the area has not been affected. An investigation will be undertaken to determine the cause of the fire."

It is believed the explosion was caused by an oxygen cylinder. Authorities have launched an investigation into the fire.