The NHS Blood and Transplant Centre at North Bristol Park in Filton [map] has been put out of action by a flooding incident that occurred on Monday morning (24th September).
The centre, one of the country’s main human blood processing plants, was flooded at around 9am am Monday, following heavy overnight rain.
The flooding is reported to have been caused by a collapsed culvert, said to be owned by Network Rail.
The railway company owns land to the east of the business park that is known as the Filton Triangle, part of which is currently being redeveloped for a new train depot.
The ground floor of the two-storey processing facility was flooded “knee high”, according to a worker at the plant.
Blood supplies were transferred from the building to other sites around the country, and the NHS says no stocks were lost as a result of the flooding.
The centre is located within a known flood plain and its planning permission, granted in 2006, included conditions that the ground floor and car parking area be constructed above specified heights, in order to “prevent flooding”.
Crews from Avon Fire & Rescue have been working at the site since Monday and cleaning specialists have been brought in.
A spokesperson for the centre said it was hoped to recommence blood processing “sometime next week”.
Related links:
The BBC says the Filton blood processing centre is due to re-open today (Friday 5th October):
Flooded blood centre in Bristol is to reopen
Another angle – from the Bristol Post:
Filton blood bank re-opens after flooding
Government minister confirms blood stocks were lost in the Filton flood:
Blood was lost as centre flooded (Bristol Post)