A fire at Greenville, S.C.-based Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital led to patient evacuations and closure of its outpatient building on April 26.
The fire started around 10:30 a.m. in a cart washer, which cleans and sterilizes surgical instruments. Within minutes, alarms and sprinkler systems were activated and the local fire department was dispatched, Jennifer Robinson, a hospital spokesperson, told Becker's in a statement.
All patients, visitors and staff were safely evacuated. The fire was isolated to the sterile processing department and did not cross into patient areas.
The outpatient center was closed for the remainder of April 26 while some water and smoke damage was being assessed, with hopes to reopen the center by the next business day, Ms. Robinson said.
"Bon Secours would like to thank our clinical staff for their quick work to evacuate patients and ensure continuity of care," she said. "We're also very grateful to the local fire departments, our environmental service crews and the team that mobilized immediately to reduce this event's impact on the high quality and compassionate care delivered at Bon Secours St. Francis Downtown."
The hospital remains open with normal operations.