Hospital fire in Pennsylvania forces evacuation of 77 patients

A fire broke out at a building attached to Lehigh Valley Hospital in Pennsylvania on Wednesday night, prompting a large emergency response and the evacuation of patients, officials said. 

The Dickson City Fire Department said in a Facebook post that it and other first-alarm companies were dispatched to the hospital complex around 9:40 p.m.

Upon arrival, Fire Chief Richard Chowanec upgraded the response for additional units after determining the fire was burning in the roof of the original Scranton Orthopedics building, an older structure attached to the newer Lehigh Valley Hospital facility.

Officials said there was no active fire inside the main hospital building, though smoke and water damage were reported.

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Police officers from across the Mid-Valley area, along with hospital staff and EMS crews, assisted in evacuating patients with support from the Lackawanna County Emergency Management Agency and Pennsylvania State Police. 

WNEP-TV 16 reported that 77 patients were transferred from the hospital to local facilities and no major injuries were reported.

The local station said crews battled the blaze as parts of the orthopedics unit collapsed before the fire was ultimately contained around 11:15 p.m.

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The Dickson City Fire Department said the Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal Unit will investigate the cause and origin of the fire.

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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro thanked first responders in a post on X for “running toward danger to help their fellow Pennsylvanians.”

“Lori and I are praying for the staff, patients, their families, and the entire community tonight,” he wrote.