Critical patients evacuated after power outages hit Los Angeles hospital

A succession of power outages at a Los Angeles hospital prompted the evacuation of 28 patients in critical condition to other hospitals early Tuesday, while 213 other patients were moved to another building in the medical centre, authorities said.

The power failure blacked out Adventist Health White Memorial's main six-story building, disabling elevators, said Fire Chief Kristin M. Crowley. More than 100 firefighters and numerous ambulances were dispatched to the facility east of downtown.

The building includes OB-GYN and neonatal intensive care, Crowley said.

“All patients are safe,” John Raffoul, the hospital president, told a press conference.

The hospital originally lost power at 3 a.m. Monday after Tropical Storm Hilary dumped record rainfall on the city, and backup generators that were supposed to last three days kicked in, Raffoul said.

But a blackout was reported at 11:45 p.m. Monday and firefighters were dispatched to evacuate patients, assisting them down flights of stairs in many cases, the Fire Department said.

“We don't know the cause of the double failure that we had here ... other than the fact that we had a major storm that hit us here in Southern California,” Raffoul said.

Raffoul said a new generator was on order.

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