NORTHAMPTON — Emergency responders took three patients to Cooley Dickinson hospital following a fire at the CareOne nursing and rehabilitation center early Saturday morning.
Police said Sunday three residents were transported to the hospital for difficulty breathing and smoke inhalation, but were stable with good vitals Saturday night. Officials concluded the fire was caused by an electrical problem.
Deputy Fire Chief Chris Norris said a call reporting flames on the third floor of the facility at 548 Elm St. came in at 12:10 a.m.
The building’s sprinkler system “kept the fire in check” until firefighters arrived, but there was heavy smoke damage on the third floor, Norris said on Saturday.
The 40 patients on the third floor were evacuated first to safe areas in the building, and then officials worked through the night to take them to other facilities. Because some of those patients are not ambulatory, the relocation process was a “prolonged operation,” Norris said.
Multiple fire departments and ambulances responded during the early morning hours, and the American Red Cross also offered assistance.
A smashed third-floor window could be seen from the outside of the building later Saturday morning, and Advanced Restoration Group was on site tending to the damage. A van hummed loudly as it appeared to suck water from a second-floor window through a fat, gray hose.
Sharon Donaghue, senior vice president of operations for CareOne, released a statement saying:
“In an abundance of caution, several residents were transferred to another local CareOne Center. We are working with local authorities to restore the affected areas of the Center and to ensure a swift and safe return to the Center for the residents who were displaced.”