Local

Crews quickly extinguish electrical fire at Kindred Hospital

NORTH FAYETTE TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Firefighters rushed to the scene of an electrical fire Friday morning at Kindred Hospital in North Fayette Township.

The blaze was first reported about 4 a.m. in the basement of the hospital.

North Fayette Fire Chief Gary Hamilton said there was an electrical issue with a breaker which sparked the blaze.

“They used a fire extinguisher to knock the flames down. After that, it was just evacuating the smoke,” Hamilton said.

According to Hamilton, the biggest challenge firefighters faced was the massive amounts of smoke the fire caused.

“The bigger the building, the more complicated the ventilation process is. And whenever you know you have 31 or more patients in the facility, you have another aspect you have to deal with. You have to make sure they’re OK and if they can stay, or if they need to go,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton said no patients were evacuated, but three members of the hospital staff were treated at the scene by medics for respiratory issues.

“Three of the hospital staff, medical personnel, had to be seen by the on-scene medics,” Hamilton said.

The hospital is back to operating under normal conditions, and they’re using a generator for power.