Nearly 100 residents temporarily evacuated from nursing facility in JS due to fire
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Close to 100 patients at the Jersey Shore Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Thompson Street were evaluated late Monday morning when a fire, possibly a vent on the roof, broke out, according to investigators.
There were no reports of injuries.
All those who were evacuated were moved next door to Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital by staff and emergency responders.
Firemen used exhaust fans to clear smoke from the hallways.
The fire, which was dispatched at 11:37 a.m., was reported out at 12:25 p.m.
In an early afternoon news briefing, officials confirmed the fire was in an air conditioning unit on the roof.
“The fire was caused by an exhaust fan in the air handler unit (air conditioning-heating unit), that pushed a considerable amount of smoke throughout the third floor,” Shane Newvine, assistant EMS chief for Jersey Shore Area EMS, said.
The fire was contained to the one air conditioning unit and did not spread, he said.
Maintenance employees were trying to get the air conditioning working properly in the building. However, three of four exhaust fans are not working, he said.
One firefighter was taken to UPMC Williamsport to be treated for heat exhaustion, Newvine said.
By mid-afternoon, nursing home and county officials determined it was safe to return all patients to their rooms, Newvine said.
The health coalition is providing a huge portable air conditioner that will be delivered to the rehabilitation center by late afternoon, Newvine said.
The unit will help keep all the hallways and other common areas cool until the building’s own air conditioning units are working, he said.
Each resident has their own individual air conditioning units in their room, and all these units, not impacted by the fire, are functioning properly, Newvine explained.