Jefferson Methodist Hospital in Philadelphia is temporarily closed due to a power outage “related to an external water source,” a hospital spokesperson said in a May 20 statement shared with Becker’s.
The health system said patients were being transferred to nearby facilities and directed family members seeking information to a hospital hotline.
Multiple local media outlets, including CBS News Philadelphia and PhillyVoice, reported evacuations are continuing after a pipe burst May 19 in the hospital’s basement, causing flooding and a power outage. Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small told CBS News that about 3 feet of water collected in the basement, preventing the hospital’s backup generators from activating.
Jefferson Health CEO Joseph Cacchione, MD, said 120 patients were in the hospital at the time of the outage and that the remaining patients were being evacuated the morning of May 20, according to CBS News. Dr. Cacchione also said the hospital’s emergency department remained open for walk-in patients, though ambulances and emergency arrivals were being diverted to other facilities.
No injuries or transfer complications had been reported as of May 20, according to CBS News. WPVI-TV 6ABC reported power was restored around 5:30 a.m. May 20, though the hospital is expected to remain closed for days or potentially weeks.
Jefferson Methodist Hospital is a 220-bed hospital in South Philadelphia that offers emergency care, cancer services and neurology care.
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