A massive fire late Wednesday heavily damaged Lehigh Valley Hospital-Dickson City, forcing patients and staff to quickly evacuate.
Firefighters contained most of the damage to the Orthopedic Institute, with that section a total loss, according to Tom Taylor, Lackawanna County emergency management director. No injuries were reported.
Crews evacuated 77 patients and transported the most critical patients first to open beds in local hospitals and as far as the Lehigh Valley.
It's unclear how long the main part of the hospital will remain closed.
'Flames through the roof'
Firefighters responded to the hospital, 330 Main St., around 9:40 p.m.
"When I arrived, we already had flames through the roof of the office area of the Orthopedic Institute," Dickson City Fire Chief Rich Chowanec said, as crews worked on several hotspots shortly after midnight Thursday.
EMS Command from Pennsylvania Ambulance quickly evacuated the hospital's four floors and emergency room, he said.
"Everybody is accounted for. Everybody is safe," the chief said.
The Orthopedic Institute, formerly the Coordinated Health Scranton Orthopedics, is connected to the main hospital. A firewall separates the structures.
Some parts of the main hospital sustained smoke damage, and the first floor had water damage, Chowanec said.
"I think everybody did a fantastic job," he said. "Given the situation that we had when we pulled up, it's phenomenal."
Local, state response
State Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, a registered nurse, spoke to patients on scene and watched emergency responders from around the region come together.
"The patients feel safe," she said. "There's no chaos. It's very professional and very calm."
She said she spoke to U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan, who is on his way back to the region from Washington, D.C.
"The amount of communication and the collaboration to this response, I'm really pleased... to have that kind of open communication," she said.
The lawmakers, along with many others in the region, have worked to both preserve and increase health care access in recent months. Tenor Health Foundation and Commonwealth Health closed a deal this week selling Tenor Wilkes-Barre General and Scranton’s Moses Taylor and Regional hospitals.
"We're really lucky to live in this environment where we are and certainly having a hospital for patients to go to is also something that's really critical," she said.
State police, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Health were on scene and helped to evacuate patients and secure the area, according to a social media post from Gov. Josh Shapiro.
"Thank you to every first responder running toward danger to help their fellow Pennsylvanians," he wrote. "Lori and I are praying for the staff, patients, their families and the entire community tonight."
Hospital opened in 2022
Lehigh Valley Health Network opened the Main Street campus in 2022. The 100,000-square-foot hospital has a surgical specialty focus, with seven operating rooms and two procedure rooms.
The hospital features 24 private inpatient rooms, a 19-bay emergency room and a helipad for times when a higher level of care is needed.
The connected Orthopedic Institute, which is a total loss, featured a walk-in clinic and treatment for "any type of orthopedic or musculoskeletal problem," according to the health network.
