Patients evacuated due to fire at BGH

Quinte 5 Medicine Unit at Belleville General Hospital was temporarily closed Tuesday night due to smoke damage following a small, contained electrical fire

At approximately 8:45pm a fire code was called due to a small, contained electrical fire on Quinte 5 Medicine Unit.

The Belleville Fire Department and EMS helped staff and physicians relocate 44 patients on Quinte 5 medicine unit, 28 patients on Quinte 6 surgical inpatient unit and eight patients on Quinte 7 maternal/child unit were promptly evacuated by staff as part of the hospital’s emergency response procedures.

Patients from Quinte 6 and 7 were able to return to their units within approximately 90 minutes. However, due to smoke damage, Quinte 5 medicine unit is not able to accommodate patients until a full clean-up of the area is complete.

Catherine Walker, Manager, Communications & Community Relations, said it’s too early to provide accurate timelines until a full assessment of the damages has been completed.

“We are planning that the unit will remain unavailable for a number of days. The patients from Quinte 5 medicine unit have all be relocated to various other units at BGH for care. A number of additional staff and physicians have been called in to assist with care. ”

No patients were injured. Approximately six staff members were seen in the emergency department as a precautionary measure due to smoke inhalation.

“Staff are reaching out to family members of patients on Quinte 5 to notify them of the situation and to inform them of where their loved ones have been relocated at BGH. A number of surgeries scheduled have been cancelled and patients will be notified of the need to reschedule with their surgeon’s office.”