A significant fire erupted at a structure connected to the Lehigh Valley Hospital in Pennsylvania on a Wednesday night, necessitating a substantial emergency intervention and the evacuation of patients, according to officials.
The Dickson City Fire Department revealed through a Facebook announcement that they, along with other first-alarm companies, were dispatched to the hospital complex approximately at 9:40 p.m. Upon reaching the site, Fire Chief Richard Chowanec decided to escalate the response, calling in additional units after assessing that the fire had ignited on the roof of the original Scranton Orthopedics building—an older structure adjoined to the updated Lehigh Valley Hospital premises.
It was reported that no active fire was present within the main hospital building, although smoke and water damage were noticeable.
Numerous law enforcement officers from across the Mid-Valley region, alongside hospital staff and EMS teams, were instrumental in evacuating patients, with support from the Lackawanna County Emergency Management Agency and the Pennsylvania State Police.
According to WNEP-TV 16, 77 patients were transported from the hospital to nearby facilities, with no major injuries being recorded. The local station also detailed that firefighting crews battled the flames as certain sections of the orthopedics unit succumbed before firefighters successfully contained the fire around 11:15 p.m.
The Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal Unit has been tasked with investigating the cause and origin of the fire, as confirmed by the Dickson City Fire Department.
In response to the incident, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro expressed gratitude to the first responders in a message on platform X, commending them for “running toward danger to help their fellow Pennsylvanians.” He continued, saying, “Lori and I are praying for the staff, patients, their families, and the entire community tonight.”
Ashley Carnahan is a contributor at Fox News Digital.
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