Springhill hospital closure extended following fire

The hospital in Springhill, N.S., was evacuated Monday evening due to smoke fromwhat a fire official says wasan electrical fire, and the building will continue to betemporarily closed to allow for assessment and remediation.

The provincial healthauthority says 21 inpatients were transferred fromAll Saints Springhill Hospital to other sites within the northern health zone, or discharged to their homes.

Service interruptionsareexpectedto continue Wednesday, according to a news release from Nova Scotia Health. All onsite appointments are cancelled,thecollaborative emergency centre is closed andprimarily health care will offer servicesonline.

"Many appointmentswill be instead offered at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre, includingoutpatient laboratory and diagnostic imaging appointments (X-Ray), ambulatory care clinics, outpatient clinics,andrehabilitation outpatient clinics," the news release said.

Renal dialysis will be provided at theCumberland Regional Health Care Centre. Inpatient withdrawal management services will also continue offsite for current patients.

"Efforts to reschedule procedures and appointments are being made, ensuring that patients receive the necessary medical attention once operations resume," the Tuesday news releasesaid.

'A tremendous effort'

Springhill Fire Department ChiefKendell Spence said firefighters were called to the site Monday evening. The fire was believed to be electrical in nature, but was not immediately located, which prompted the evacuation.

Spence said a faulty heat motor was found on fire soon after, and was quickly extinguished.

He said the site has been passed over to hospital maintenance staff.

Bethany McCormick, vice-president of operations for the northern health zone, commended the quickwork of hospital staff and community organizations like the RCMP during the evacuation.

Some of the 21 patients were able to walk out of the hospital, while others were taken out with the help of firefighters and officers.

"It was really a tremendous effort," McCormick told CBC'sInformation Morning Nova Scotia, adding that they expected to have more information on when the hospital might be able to reopen later Tuesday.

Renal dialysis will be provided at Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre.

More information about the temporary closure can be found on the authority website.

The authority said anyone with urgent medical needs should call 911.