Fire at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Dickson City, Pennsylvania, prompts dozens of evacuations

Crews were battling a fire at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Dickson City, Pa., from Wednesday evening into Thursday morning.

Lackawanna County Emergency Management Agency Tom Taylor said 77 patients were evacuated to other area hospitals. Six were intensive care patients.

A firefighter was taken to another hospital for chest pains, he added.

The fire was contained to an outpatient orthopedic area, Taylor said.

The Dickson City Fire Department said the fire occurred on the roof of the original building, known as Scranton Orthopedics. This building was attached to a newly constructed building, Lehigh Valley Hospital.

Flames could be seen coming from the building as crews responded to the fire, CBS Scranton affiliate WYOU-TV reported.

The station cited the Dickson City Fire Department as saying the orthopedic unit was a total loss.

There was no fire in the hospital building but it suffered smoke and water damage, the department said.

Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and the Pennsylvania Department of Health were on scene, Gov. Josh Shapiro said on social media.

“Thank you to all the first responders who are running into danger to help their fellow Pennsylvanians,” Shapiro said. “Lori and I are praying tonight for the staff, patients, their families and the entire community.”

Pennsylvania State Police firefighters were trying to determine the cause of the fire.

Dickson City is about six miles north of Scranton.