Over 30 patients evacuated after fire, water main break at Pennsylvania hospital, police say
Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland, Pennsylvania, is diverting ambulances to other hospitals until further notice after Thursday night's fire and a water main break forced the hospital to evacuate 38 patients.
Among the patients who needed to be taken from the hospital were people with cardiac issues, severe illnesses and women who were in labor.
"We had about 15 EMS agencies and 24 units that responded," said Patrick O'Connell, regional EMS director for Delaware County.
It was an all-hands-on-deck effort at Crozier-Chester Medical Center as emergency responders were in a race against time to get staff and patients out of harm's way.
The fire that erupted before 9 p.m. Thursday in the hospital's electrical room forced the hospital to transport patients to other facilities. Most of them were in the ICU.
"Certainly in the 40-plus years I've been doing this, this was certainly in the one of the top five of incidents," said O'Connell.
O'Connell was on the scene of the fire and helped coordinate efforts to bring some of the most critical patients to safety.
"A lot of agencies put second units up. They expanded their services which they normally don't do. But they certainly heard the calling and they certainly all stepped up," he said.
CBS News Philadelphia was told electrical issues are affecting the hospital's computer systems which are also causing trouble at nearby Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park. A spokesperson for PECO said crews were on the scene Thursday and part of the building lost power.
O'Connell said Crozer-Health is now diverting ambulances from Taylor Hospital as well.
"It's sort of a ripple effect," he said. "These patients will be transported to neighboring facilities, neighboring hospitals which is no doubt putting a burden on them and having them invoke some unique plans to deal with it. "
The cause of the fire is still being investigated.
Crozer-Chester CEO Tony Esposito said in an emailed statement, "We experienced a small flood that resulted in a fire, but there is no longer an active fire. Critical care patients were evacuated from the facility to safe areas and we have been working with the county [to] ensure their safety. No injuries have been reported."
O'Connell praised the emergency responders who he said didn't hesitate to help.
"It certainly could've been worse on a lot of different functions, a lot of different fronts. That the fire could've been worse," he said. "The evacuation of the patients could've been greater."
