North West Regional Hospital fire leaves mental health unit uninhabitable

A fire at the North West Regional Hospital in Tasmania has left the Spencer Clinic, a 19-bed inpatient mental health unit, uninhabitable. The incident occurred at 6:30 pm, and while the paediatric ward was evacuated as a precaution, it has since returned to full operation. No injuries were reported.

Emergency services prevented the fire from spreading to other wards, but health officials noted that the clinic will be out of commission for some time. Patients were transferred to Launceston General Hospital, North West Private Hospital, and other facilities. A 28-year-old woman has been charged with arson in connection to the fire.

In other regional news, the CSU Mitchell Rugby Club has announced it will move from the New Holland Cup to the Olisplus Cup for the 2027 season due to declining student numbers. Additionally, Newcastle Knights fans have rapidly purchased 25,000 tickets for their upcoming NRL preliminary final at Accor Stadium.