Fire at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Dickson City, Pennsylvania, prompts dozens of evacuations

Crews were battling a fire at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Dickson City, Pennsylvania, Wednesday night into early Thursday.

Lackawanna County Emergency Management Agency Tom Taylor said 77 patients were evacuated to other area hospitals. Six were ICU patients.

One firefighter was taken to another hospital with chest pains, he added.   

The fire was contained to an outpatient orthopedic area, Taylor said.

The Dickson City Fire Department explained that the fire was at the roof of the original building, which was known as Scranton Orthopedics. That building was attached to a newly built one, Lehigh Valley Hospital.

Flames could be seen pouring out of the building as crews responded to the blaze, CBS Scranton affiliate WYOU-TV reported.

The station cited Dickson City fire officials as saying the orthopedic unit is a total loss.

There was no fire in the hospital building but it sustained smoke and water damage, the department said.

Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and Pennsylvania Department of Health were at the scene, Gov. Josh Shapiro said on social media. 

“Thank you to every first responder running toward danger to help their fellow Pennsylvanians,” Shapiro said. “Lori and I are praying for the staff, patients, their families, and the entire community tonight.”

The Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal was trying to determine the cause of the blaze.

Dickson City is roughly six miles north of Scranton.