THE accident and emergency department at the hospital was closed yesterday afternoon after torrential rain brought chaos to the town.
Ambulances were diverted away from the department when the flat roof on the X-ray unit collapsed under the weight of water.
The situation was made worse when hospital drains were unable to cope with the deluge, and a hospital spokesman reported difficulties transferring patients to other departments.
Meanwhile, at My Nursery in the McLintock building on Summer Lane, 34 children aged from three months to 14 years had to flee from a basement when rain flooded in at about 3.45pm. The youngsters, from the nursery and a holiday club, were led upstairs to safety.
Nursery manager Angie Garnett said “Water flooded in under the door, it was just like a little river. Luckily all the kids were in the dining room away from the door at the time, it has been like a little adventure for them.”
She added that the nursery will remain closed today.
Phone lines at Barnsley police station were knocked out by an electrical fault caused by the rain, while commuters felt the effects on the evening rush hour.
