LYNCHBURG, Va. – Investigators continue to look into a fire that happened at a Lynchburg nursing home Friday night.
Lynchburg fire department said around 90 or so Seven Hills nursing home residents were evacuated as crews worked to put out the flames on Friday.
“I’m really really proud of our folks for the way that they responded and their quick actions to get the fire under control, get the sprinkler system shut down, and really minimize the damage could have been far, far greater,” Lynchburg Deputy Fire Chief Marques Bush said.
Bush said they were initially called to Seven Hills by a fire alarm. They worked to get residents out, but two were taken to Lynchburg General Hospital for minor smoke inhalation.
“The most difficult part is finding the most expedient manner in which we want to get the residents out,” Bush said. “A lot of them were bedridden, so we had to use our stretchers initially.”
Bush said it’s important for people to know just how important it is to call the fire department quickly when something like this happens.
“A lot of times people feel like it’s cumbersome, or it’s frustrating to call the fire department when they have a fire,” Bush said. “Please do not try to put out a fire. You risk inhaling something that you’re not supposed to and you could harm yourself, you could also burn yourself significantly.”
Five rooms at Seven Hills were deemed uninhabitable due to the damage, but most residents were able to return to their rooms.
“It turned out to be very, you know very good situation in being able to place them back in their place of comfort and within their residence,” Bush said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the fire marshal.