A large fire severely damaged the Orthopedic Institute at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Dickson City (Pa.) on Feb. 4, forcing a full evacuation of the hospital, according to a Feb. 5 report by Fox affiliate WOLF.
The hospital temporarily closed following the fire as teams conducted damage assessments and developed plans for a safe reopening.
Lehigh Valley Hospital–Dickson City is set to reopen Feb. 13, just nine days after the fire, following an inspection by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and coordination with borough officials, according to a Feb.12 news release.
The emergency department is expected to resume operations at 7 a.m., with operating rooms reopening at 9 a.m. Emergency, surgical and limited inpatient services will be available, while repairs continue in other areas of the campus. Surgeries will also take place over the weekend to help accommodate patients whose procedures were delayed during the closure.
Flames breached the institute’s roof by the time crews arrived around 9:40 p.m. Feb. 4. Firefighters launched an immediate response while hospital staff, EMS and police evacuated all four floors, including the emergency department. No injuries were reported.
A total of 77 patients were evacuated, triaged and relocated to area hospitals, according to a Scranton Times-Tribune report. Geisinger confirmed in a statement to the publication that its hospitals were caring for patients “associated with the incident.” As of Feb. 5, 12 patients had been transferred to Geisinger Community Medical Center and one to Wilkes-Barre, Pa.-based Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center.
In a statement shared with Becker’s, the health system expressed gratitude to those involved in the evacuation effort.
“We are deeply grateful to our colleagues and emergency response partners whose swift, coordinated actions helped protect and safely relocate more than 70 patients, their visitors and the staff members caring for them,” the system said. “The professionalism and preparedness of our staff and first responders was critical in ensuring everyone’s safety.”
Structural engineers have confirmed the hospital building remains structurally sound, with significant damage contained to the Medical Office Building. Restoration crews are working around the clock in coordination with regulatory agencies, and restoring emergency services remains the system’s top priority, according to a Feb. 7 news release.
The fire was contained to the Orthopedic Institute, but smoke reached the third and fourth floors of the main hospital and the kitchen sustained water damage. In a Facebook update, the Dickson City Fire Department said the fire originated in the roof of the original building known as Scranton Orthopedics, which was attached to the newly constructed hospital facility. The Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal Unit will investigate the origin and cause of the fire, according to the department.
As restoration work continues, Jefferson colleagues are contacting hundreds of patients with existing appointments to arrange care at alternate locations. Several regional LVPG Orthopedics & Sports Medicine offices are set to reopen Feb. 10, and the system has launched an online FAQ to assist patients with rescheduling.
Jefferson has also implemented support for nearly 500 colleagues in Dickson City affected by the incident, including well-being resources and salary continuation as operational planning continues.
