Kaiser evacuates dozens from medical offices after oxygen tanker truck explosion

A Kaiser Permanente outpatient clinic in Santa Rosa (Calif.) evacuated dozens of patients and employees July 18 after a tanker truck delivering liquid oxygen exploded next to the facility, according to an ABC 7 news report.

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Santa Rosa Assistant Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal says the explosion, which occurred around 2:30 p.m., caused a small brush fire and gas leak, so two medical offices were evacuated. No patients or employees were injured.

One of the buildings contained an outpatient surgery center, which made the evacuation challenging, according to Kaiser physical therapist Kathy Larson.

“In this building, there is outpatient surgery so there was people who were recovering from surgery. There were people on IVs, hooked up to IVs still, some people in beds,” she said.

 The buildings were not damaged, and hazmat crews have since cleaned up the spill. The buildings were expected to reopen July 19, according to a statement from Kaiser.

More articles on patient flow:
Texas hospital ends labor, delivery services after 31 years
Why ‘hospital deserts’ are forming across California
U of Michigan: Children’s headaches leave parents unsure of whether and where to seek care

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