AROUND 200 staff and patients were evacuated from Yarnspinners Medical Centre on Friday after a lift control panel exploded.

Firefighters were called to the Carr Road centre in Nelson at 11.30am after the fire alarm triggered.

Watch manager Gary Ibbitson said: “The lift’s control panel on the second floor had had a small explosion and it had burn out. That’s where the smoke came from.

“We removed the panel and cooled it down to make sure the fire was out and isolated the lift.”

One woman, who works at the centre, said: “It was a bit scary. The lights started flickering and seconds later the fire alarm went off.”