Broken pipe floods Amarillo medical center, 200 evacuated

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19 hours ago

A broken pipe flooded a medical center in Amarillo that includes Northwest Surgical Hospital, part of the Northwest Texas Healthcare group, on Tuesday afternoon, forcing the evacuation of about 200 people.
A BSA medical clinic in the same building was also affected, raising questions about how long patients could face disruptions.
The Amarillo Fire Department was dispatched at 4:09 p.m. to a fire alarm at 3501 S. Soncy Road. Crews arrived eight minutes later to find water pouring from the entrance, and six inches of standing water spread across the 150,000-square-foot facility.
Inside, firefighters saw ceiling tiles beginning to sag from water damage and quickly covered medical equipment with tarps to prevent possible damage. The flooding was traced to a two-inch line that had broken beneath the foundation, feeding the fire riser room. Because of its location, crews had to shut off the water from another valve elsewhere on the property.
About 200 occupants, mostly employees and staff, were safely evacuated. One patient, recently out of surgery, was transferred to Northwest Texas Hospital as a precaution. No injuries were reported.
Structural and electrical engineers are scheduled to assess the building Wednesday, including its integrity and electrical systems, and determine what needs to be replaced before operations resume. Officials have not yet said how long the flooding may impact operations at Northwest Surgical Hospital or the BSA clinic, and patients with upcoming appointments are advised to check ahead.
Cleanup crews worked late into the night to remove water and mud debris from the flooding. A layer of silt and sand from the ruptured foundation mixed with the water, complicating recovery efforts.
AFD spokesman Jason Love stressed the importance of fire suppression systems.
'They do work — I know they can be a nuisance, but in times like this it was a true emergency,' he said. 'The alarms worked exactly like they were supposed to. They alerted dispatch, the fire department responded, and had there been a fire, the system would have done its job.'
The fire department commended the swift evacuation efforts and reminded the public of the importance of maintaining fire protection systems and being prepared for emergencies.
Updates on the hospital's reopening and patient services are expected once assessments are complete.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo medical center flooding forces 200 evacuations, no injuries
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