PINEVILLE, N.C. (WBTV) – “The water, the flood, it was chaos. It was crazy, it was so much.”
Derick Calwell was at Atrium Hospital in Pineville early Thursday morning when the water came rushing in after a pipe burst.
“Pipes bust, elevators full of water. It was crazy,” he said.
Calwell added he was at the hospital with his girlfriend who was going through dialysis early Thursday morning when floor after floor became impacted.
“It was on the first floor to every floor. We were on the fifth floor and there was water up there,” he explained.
Crews responded to Atrium Health Pineville after a pipe burst at the hospital overnight, flooding a floor, officials confirmed. The situation unfolded around 1:30 a.m., and firefighters could be seen going inside with water suction equipment.
Atrium officials said some patients had to be moved, which radio communication between firefighters and dispatchers previously indicated.
“Patients were moved to other parts of the hospital and some patients on lower floors were also relocated as a precaution,” an Atrium spokesperson said. “We have taken great care to ensure that all patients were moved to areas where they can continue to receive the same level of medical care and treatment.”
The spokesperson added that “a few” patients in critical care were moved to other Atrium Health facilities, and said that all elective surgeries scheduled at the hospital on Thursday have been canceled.
By 5 p.m. Thursday, Atrium Health Pineville officials said staff had begun moving affected patients back to rooms. Surgeries on Friday, Feb. 23, will continue as scheduled.
Pineville Communications said the flooding impacted mainly the fourth floor but there was also some water on the third floor.
Radio traffic between dispatchers and firefighters captured sounds of the incident as it happened.
“Pineville Fire responding for a water problem,” a dispatcher said. “A pipe burst at CMC Pineville Hospital…we got a call from the hospital. They advised that a pipe burst on the fourth floor. It’s flooding the hospital and there are electrical hazards present.”
“They’re already moving patients,” a firefighter said over the radio. “We got about an inch of water on this fourth floor…I think we’re going to quickly lose the third floor.”
Atrium has been contacted for more on the extent of damage and information on any patients moved.
Related: Atrium Health, CMS partnering for initiative to train students in healthcare
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