A electrical fire in a kitchen has closed a unit of Belleville General Hospital. Investigators were at the site looking into the cause on Wednesday morning. Photo by Brett Bullen, QNet News
By Brett Bullen
BELLEVILLE – Patients had to be evacuated from Belleville General Hospital Tuesday night, after an electrical fire broke out in the kitchen area on the Quinte 5 medical unit.
The fire started just after 8:30 p.m. and was quickly contained, but there was some fire and smoke damage to the floor, according to a news release from John Lake of the Belleville Fire Department.
Eighty patients were evacuated and taken to safe zones within the hospital. None were injured, hospital spokesperson Catherine Walker said in an interview with QNet News at the hospital Wednesday morning.
Fourteen hospital staff members were treated in the emergency department for smoke inhalation as a precautionary measure and have all been released from care, said Walker.
Quinte 5 will be closed to all patients until cleanup of the floor can be completed.
“We expect by the end of the day to have a better idea of the timeline,” said Walker
The Quinte 5 medical unit is the largest unit in Belleville General Hospital, and specializes in care for in-patients – those sick enough to have to remain in the hospital for treatment. The floor had 44 patients at the time of the fire.
Asked about the impact of the floor closing, she said: “It’s definitely challenging, and our folks are working very closely as a team to ensure that the patients continue to receive the care they need.”
The 44 patients from Quinte 5 have been moved to other areas of the hospital that are best suited to continue each individual’s treatment, Walker said.
Fire inspectors are on the scene investigating what caused the fire, but were not available for a statement Wednesday morning.
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