ONE BILLION volt lightning strike hits maternity unit causing huge flooding
ONE BILLION volts of electricity from a massive bolt of lightning smashed into on a maternity block packed with mums and newborn babies.
A large bolt of lightning struck Ipswich Hospital
Fire engines were called after flooding swamped some parts of Ipswich Hospital - thought to have happened after the sprinkler system was triggered by the sudden power failure.
Computers were wrecked by the power surge and staff checked that vital medical equipment hooked up to patients including babies in the special care unit was still working.
Mums were reassured they and their babies were safe after the emergency bleeper system in the nine-storey maternity wing went down.
It's not yet clear if any mums were actually in labour and on the point of giving birth just when the huge bolt hit the building last night.
Experts say a typical lightning strike can contain up to one billion volts of electricity.
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A massive clap of thunder and lightning has struck the building
Hospital chief executive Nick Hulme tweeted that a 'massive clap of thunder and lightning has struck'.
He said: “Everything was safe but there may be disruption for a while.”
The strike caused disruption to communication systems, leaving the unit's bleeper system temporarily out of action.
A typical lightning strike can contain up to one billion volts of electricity
Hospital co-ordinator Karen Lough said the maternity unit remained "fully operational and the contingency plans had worked".
She said: ”We are using phones and radio communication to replace our bleeper system, but patient care has not been affected.”
The lightning hit the maternity unit just as visiting was due to start
The massive bolt hit just as many of the mums would have been getting visits from relatives including husbands and partners eager to see newborn babies.
The storms came on the warmest day of the year so far - a temperature of 18.1C (64.58F) was reported in Writtle, Essex.
The lightning bolt caused flooding in parts of Ipswich Hospital
Mr Hulme said: "We were all safe, but we experienced a bit of disruption for a while.
"It was a bit crazy for a while but no patients were at risk. There was some flooding and quite a few of our computers were damaged.
"We have our estates team in and they will be working all night to try to rectify the damage done. It's nothing we can't cope with but there were several fire engines called."
It was the second series of thunderstorms to hit the area in a week.
The Street in Rushmere, near Lowestoft, was blocked until early today due to flooding caused by downpours.
Forecaster Dan Holley tweeted: "Good amount of small hail in the thunderstorm that passed near Ipswich a short while ago."