A strong storm on Wednesday afternoon caused a pipe to break on the roof of Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown, leading to expectant mothers being redirected to Summerside for childbirth. Due to heavy rain and hail, the pipe failed to drain properly, resulting in water entering one of the hospital’s operating rooms and triggering a response from the fire department.
Gailyne MacPherson, the director of hospital services at QEH, mentioned the challenges in assessing the water’s spread and potential impact on other areas. Following safety protocols, patients were transferred to Prince County Hospital in Summerside as a precaution.
Despite a few canceled surgeries, the majority of patients were unaffected by the redirection. Repairs were promptly made to the damaged pipe by Thursday morning, and efforts are underway to restore the affected operating room for reopening on Monday after thorough drying and inspection.
MacPherson emphasized the importance of following strict procedures to ensure the safe reopening of the operating room post-repairs.