King Edward VII Memorial Hospital was evacuated yesterday afternoon after a worker inadvertently triggered the fire alarm and sprinkler system.

Seven officers and two vehicles from the Bermuda Fire Service responded to the lobby of the hospital at approximately 1.45 p.m., shortly after the fire-extinguishing sprinkler system was triggered.

Everyone in the immediate area of the lobby and Pink Cafe, "at least 75 people" was forced to evacuate the building due to the sprinklers and alarm.

"A workman working on top of a refrigerator somehow knocked one of the sprinklers – setting off the system," said Lieutenant Colin Swan of the Bermuda Fire Service. "The area was saturated with about an inch-and-a-half of water and everyone was evacuated as per hospital protocol. The water damage was minimal and was mostly isolated to the ceiling tiles."

Barbara Repose, a volunteer pink lady at the Pink Cafe, said: "Out of nowhere the alarm went off and a huge amount of water just came gushing out of the ceiling, it was like a hurricane but inside – there was no stopping it," she said.

No one was hurt during the false alarm and according to a hospital spokesman work is underway to fix the minimal damage.