Fire in transformer room forces evacuations at Brockton Hospital as crews cut power
BROCKTON -- Power at Brockton Hospital was shut off and 160 patients needed to be evacuated after a fire in the transformer room Tuesday morning.
By 9:45 a.m. the fire was mostly extinguished aside from some hot spots. There was a massive mutual aid response to help move patients, said Brockton Fire Chief Brian Nardelli.
"The operation went smooth, it's just a large operation because of all the personnel that needed to be moved out of that hospital," Nardelli said.
National Grid was called to shut the transformer and emergency generators down so firefighters could put out the flames. The cause of the fire is believed to be accidental.
"We were able to move all of our patients out of the hospital with zero injuries and zero deaths," Signature Healthcare CEO Bob Haffey said. "Obviously a horrible situation with a very good outcome."
Ambulances from Plymouth and Norfolk County assisted with the evacuations. Haffey said patients will not have to pay for any ambulatory care.
"Somebody will pay for it. But it won't be the patient," he said.
"In this history of the city of Brockton Fire Department there's never been a 10-alarmer, and today it happened," Mayor Robert Sullivan said.
There is no timeline for when power will be restored to the hospital. All elective procedures at the hospital are canceled through the end of Friday.
Families who are looking for loved ones that may have been moved from Brockton Hospital should call 617-370-5971. If you go to voicemail, please leave a full name and phone number for a callback.