Staff and patients evacuated after lightning strike causes fire at Trafford General Hospital
A number of patients and staff had to be evacuated from a Manchester hospital after a fire broke out when it was struck by a bolt of lightning.
Trafford General Hospital says 66 patients were safely moved alongside staff from ward and clinical areas after the roof caught fire during a storm on Tuesday 28 July.
The hospital has also closed the Trafford Outpatient and Minor Injuries Unit on the site and all urgent and emergency care patients are being urged to use other facilities or ring 111.
It added that all day case procedures scheduled for Thursday 29 July have been postponed, adding it "will be in touch with patients if their procedure is cancelled."
Reece Johnson, a flooring contractor working inside the hospital at the time of the strike, said he heard a "great almighty bang, almost like a bomb", when the lightning hit.
He said: "We went outside to investigate what the big bang was, as we came out we saw the smoke coming out the top of the roof, where we presumed the lightning had hit the roof straight away.
"Then going forward after that it was just chaos, people running around, people being evacuated out of the building, ambulances coming in, fire engines flying in, police etc."
A spokesperson for Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Trafford General Hospital, said; “We can confirm an area of Trafford General Hospital has been struck by lightning which has caused a fire in an area of the roof.
“A small number of patients and staff have been safely evacuated from one ward and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service are currently in attendance.”
It later added: "As at 3.35pm, we have safely evacuated ward and clinical areas. All staff and patients are safe, and we are informing relatives.
“We have taken the precaution of closing the Trafford Minor Injuries Unit. For all urgent and emergency care issues, please use alternative facilities including ringing NHS 111."
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said the fire was in the roof of the hospital and had caused "significant damage", leaving 50% of the roof space over the ward affected.
Trafford council leader Andrew Weston said the council was working with the hospital to ensure the patients and staff involved in the evacuation were safe.