Amarillo, Texas-based Northwest Surgical Center and the Northwest Physicians Group – Specialty Clinic evacuated around 200 people on Aug. 19 after a broken pipe flooded the facility, according to a news release shared with Becker’s by the Amarillo Fire Department.
The fire department was dispatched to the surgery center at 4:09 p.m. and found water coming from Northwest Surgical’s entrance within eight minutes. There was six inches of standing water across the facility, causing tiles to hang from the ceiling. Medical equipment was covered with tarps to prevent damage.
“Upon investigation, it was determined that a 2-inch water line had broken under the foundation feeding the fire riser room,” the fire department’s news release said. “Water flowed for several minutes before it could be shut off, resulting in approximately six inches of standing water throughout the 150,000-square-foot building.”
About 200 people, primarily employees, were safely evacuated. One post-surgical patient was transferred to Northwest Texas Hospital. Structural and electrical engineers are scheduled to inspect the building.
“Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our patients,” said Oliver Ostorga, COO of NWTHS, said in the release. “We are working diligently to assess the damage and restore services at the Soncy [street] building as quickly as possible. In the meantime, we have a robust plan in place to ensure that all scheduled procedures and specialty clinic appointments proceed without disruption.”
