Fire at Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital prompts brief partial evacuation

A fire broke out Saturday evening at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital, forcing some patients and medical staff to evacuate parts of the building where the blaze occurred.

The fire, which broke out in a laundry room, was quickly brought under control, the Fire and Rescue Service said.

No injuries were reported.

The third and fourth floors of the building were evacuated for fear of smoke inhalation.

Firefighters were continuing to search and ventilate smoke from the building, the fire service said.

The hospital said the fire broke out in a rear shaft in the building’s utility area, away from patients and visitors, and was extinguished by Hadassah security teams.

Fire and rescue teams later arrived, the hospital added, and dispersed the smoke, making sure there was no chance of the blaze reigniting.

“A number of patients were transferred from two wards where smoke was present, until the area was ventilated,” the hospital said in a statement. “The incident is under control, with no injuries.”