Patient trying to smoke while on oxygen likely caused fire at UPMC East, hospital says
MONROEVILLE (KDKA) -- Five UPMC East employees were treated for injuries after a fire in a hospital room Sunday night, a spokesperson for the hospital said.
The fire may have sparked as the result of a patient attempting to light a cigarette while on oxygen, the hospital spokesperson said.
"You're putting not only yourself but everyone else around you in danger, especially medical professionals who are trying to help people," said Caitlyn Akerman, a registered nurse who has worked in health care for a decade.
The hospital staff were able to relocate nearby patients to other units for their safety.
The spokesperson said five employees were evaluated and treated following the fire. Of those five, only one was kept for observation.
The unit where the fire happened is reopening Monday, the spokesperson said. They added there is no impact to hospital services or any cancellations to procedures.
The hospital has not provided the condition of the patient in the room where the fire started.
Akerman says these incidents are common and can cause internal and external burns to the patient, if not something worse.
"If it's more liters of oxygen, it could feed the fire more and then that's going to be a higher chance of explosion," she said.