Qld: Townsville hospital leaking

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Qld: Townsville hospital leaking

TOWNSVILLE, Feb 14 AAP - The three-month-old Townsville General Hospital has sprungleaks during heavy rain, the Queensland government said today.

Water had seeped into the main foyer, auditorium and basement and the problem was beingaddressed, Premier Peter Beattie said.

"It will be fixed. It's only a new hospital - the builder will fix it," Mr Beattietold reporters in Brisbane.

However, sources said buckets were placed around beds in the intensive care unit andthe roof of the birthing ward was leaking.

Queensland health authorities could not be immediately contacted for comment.

Townsville Health Service District general manager Robert Akers released a statementsaying the leaks were minor and normal for new, large buildings.

"The plumbers responsible for installing the roofs are on site and are rectifying theproblems under the building's warranty," he said.

"The heavy rains have also impacted on some areas where landscaping was recently completedand this will have to be rectified when the rains abate."

A spokesman for federal MP for Herbert Peter Lindsay said the city's residents werenow fully aware of problems plaguing the hospital

"The state government must act now to fix these problems," he said.

The new hospital was touted as the best medical facility in north Queensland when itwas opened in November last year.

AAP jb/sc/was

KEYWORD: HOSPITAL QLD