Trafford General: Staff and patients evacuated after hospital struck by lightning
28 July 2021, 19:20 | Updated: 28 July 2021, 20:00
Patients and staff have been evacuated from Trafford General Hospital following a lightning strike.
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust confirmed the hospital was struck by lightning which caused a fire in an area of the roof.
Medical director Richard Montague told reporters: "Earlier this afternoon an area of Trafford General Hospital was struck by lightening which has caused a fire in the roof.
"We have safely evacuated wards and clinical areas.
"All patients and staff are safe and have been moved to another area of the hospital.
"We're informing relatives as we speak."
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He added that the Outpatient and Minor Injuries unit had been temporarily closed.
Statement from medical director following Trafford Hospital lightning strike
Firefighters tackled the blaze on the roof of the hospital.
In a statement, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: "Just after 2.20pm this afternoon, seven fire engines were called to reports of a fire at a building on Moorside Road in Flixton.
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"Crews were quickly on the scene, joined by the aerial ladder platform from Manchester Central fire station, and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus are currently using two hose reels and a jet to tackle a fire involving the roof of a two-storey building."
At 6:49pm, they confirmed the fire was out.
🗣️ AM Carlos Meakin: "I want to praise the hospital staff who safely evacuated staff and patients prior to our arrival, relocating them to other wards, which was a big help in enabling our crews to get on with tackling the fire."
— Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service (@manchesterfire) July 28, 2021
🚒 The fire is now out.https://t.co/CX7kx6PdL0
The health trust said a total of 66 patients from ward and clinical areas were safely evacuated to other parts of the hospital.
The Minor Injuries Unit is expected to reopen on Thursday morning and outpatient appointments will go ahead as planned.
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GMFRS area manager Carlos Meakin told reporters that "significant damage" had been caused to the roof, with the timbers "pretty much burnt through".
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Mr Meakin praised the work of fire fighters, saying they had "worked extremely hard in arduous conditions".
He also commended the work of hospital staff.
"To evacuate the number of patients that they did prior to our arrival in that short timescale was excellent," said Mr Meakin.
"It certainly helped us in terms of deploying our crews and getting a fast attack on the fire itself."
