'˜Severe flood' damages £150m Sick Kids development

A 'severe flood' at the Capital's new Sick Kids Hospital is believed to have caused significant damage casting doubts as to whether the opening of the £150m development could face further delays.

Hundreds of gallons of water damaged the new site.

Dramatic footage shows a cascade of water gushing down the stairs at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People at Little France after a domestic hot water pipe burst.

It is thought the burst 
occurred when the site was closed overnight but was not discovered until stunned workers arrived the next day to be confronted by the deluge.

A site insider who captured the videos told the Evening News that they believed hot water was streaming through the building for hours leading to significant damage.

Flood damage at the Sick Kids development

The consortium behind the project, IHS Lothian, has launched an urgent investigation into the cause and potential cost of the blunder. The firm has admitted internal finishes including ceilings, walls and floors have been damaged but insisted there was no structural damage.

Project director Brian Currie told the Evening News that the building remains on course for completion in the autumn.

An IHS Lothian Ltd spokesman said: “We can confirm that a domestic hot water pipe failed at the new Royal Hospital for Sick Children overnight on June 6. The pipe has now been replaced and further investigations are under way to assess the full impact. We are working to rectify the issue as quickly as possible.”

Water rushes down a stairwell

It is the latest in a catalogue of setbacks for the facility, which was originally due to open in the winter of 2012. A protracted land swap deal held up proceedings before other problems occurred including partner firms running into financial difficulties and poor winter weather further hindered building work and pushed back the opening date from May to autumn.

Mr Currie added: “We have been advised that it is unlikely to impact on the overall programme of works and the building remains on course to be completed in autumn 2018.”

Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said: “Having watched the video it is pretty clear that this is a severe flood. This is likely to be yet another delay, in a catalogue of setbacks, for the opening of the new Royal Hospital for Sick Children. It is staggering the amount of complications there have been with the new hospital. Families deserve answers on why this construction process has been so problematic and why things are still going wrong.”