Two-Alarm Fire Extinguished At Methodist Hospital

The Fire Department responded to a two-alarm fire at New York Methodist Hospital on 7th Avenue between 6th and 7th streets at 11:18am Saturday morning. The FDNY said it arrived within five minutes of the call. A total of 105 firefighters from 25 different units assisted in the effort to contain the blaze. The fire was brought under control at 1:30pm. The hospital was not evacuated.

According to New York Methodist Hospital, the fire started in a trash chute in the basement of Carrington Pavilion resulting from soldering during a necessary repair of the trash chute.

The fire caused a great deal of smoke, which traveled up the chute. Hospital visitors were asked to leave the buildings and patients in the smoke-filled areas were temporarily moved to other parts of the hospital but, following approval of the FDNY, they were returned to their rooms. Emergency operations were diverted during the incident but regular operations have resumed.

It does not appear that any patients were injured. A few employees have been checked in the Emergency Department for minor smoke inhalation issues.

Fire marshals will investigate the cause and origin of the fire. Smoke and water damage to the buildings is currently being assessed and the Hospital Department of Facilities anticipates that repairs to the buildings will take several days to complete.