CONQUEST RECOVERING AFTER FIRE

The Accident and Emergency Department had been evacuated as around 120 firemen from as far away as Pevensey dealt with the fire, which broke out at 4.45am.

The blaze is thought to have moved through spaces in the roof. It was extinguished before it could spread although 10 patients in the assessment ward in A&E were moved to another area of the hospital as a precaution.

No one was injured in the incident.

The A&E Department was back in action by 10.30am and the assessment ward at lunchtime.

The kitchen was destroyed in the blaze. It is the only one at the hospital and food for patients and staff had to be brought in from Eastbourne DGH. Temporary mobile ovens will be used to cook food until the kitchen is rebuilt.

On Tuesday afternoon the police and firefighters were still investigating the cause of the fire.