Burnaby Hospital evacuated due to fire
Posted November 15, 2020 11:31 pm.
Last Updated November 16, 2020 6:37 am.
BURNABY (NEWS 1130) – A fire at Burnaby Hospital sent staff and patients running out into the parking lot, late Sunday night.
Burnaby Fire Chief Chris Bowcock says the the fire was coming from a non-patient area of the building.
“Some of the patients in the adjoining areas of the fire, in proximity, we, out out of an abundance of caution, we evacuated them to safety,” he tells NEWS 1130.
Part of Burnaby General Hospital was evacuated overnight after smoke started billowing out of a “non-patient” area of the building. Some patients sheltered in buses, others were relocated to other parts of the hospital. Fire crews say no one is hurt or missing. pic.twitter.com/pIkrN3Vpn3
— Mike Lloyd
(@llikemoyd) November 16, 2020
Chief Bowcock says fire crews are working with hospital staff to care for all the patients.
“Right now, we have to establish what area we can safely put people back into and work on a case by case basis for that.”
Due to near-freezing temperatures, @TransLink buses were seen pulling up across the street from Burnaby Hospital to give evacuated patients a chance to warm up. #NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/pCKimJxmQN
— Kareem Gouda (@KareemsGouda) November 16, 2020
People were seen wrapped in blankets and standing together following the evacuation. The dozens of patients and staff were out in the cold for hours, however, a TransLink bus showed up to allow people a chance to warm up.
So far, there are no reports of anyone missing or injured.
Fire at #Burnabyhospital. Appears to be located near the psychiatric area of the hospital, dozens of patients and staff were evacuated. A translink bus was brought in to keep them warm. pic.twitter.com/EaqzY60hbI
— Will Cargill (@adepated) November 16, 2020
“We’re in a good position here and we’re working with the good people of the Burnaby Hospital to care for all the patients and organize a recovery out of this event,” Chief Bowcock adds.
Patients and staff have since been allowed to re-enter the hospital, but some patients who were located near the fire have been relocated for the time being out of caution.
The cause of the blaze is now under investigation. There’s still no word on how bad the damage is from the fire.
NEWS 1130 has also reached out to Fraser Health for comment.
