Ottawa Hospital General Campus remains in ‘Code Orange’ after transformer fire

Canuck October 27, 2023

The Ottawa Hospital General Campus remains in a ‘Code Orange’ on Saturday and officials are asking the public not to visit the Smyth Road campus for care, one day after a fire in a hydro transformer knocked out power at Ottawa’s largest hospital.

Power has been restored to the General Campus on Smyth Road, but the hospital says operations are still being affected.

The hospital warns it “may take some time” before normal operations resume at the General Campus.

“Due to ongoing challenges related to the fire yesterday, we are still in a Code Orange – General Only. A Code Orange is called to allow the hospital to divert patients to other Emergency Departments in the city,” the Ottawa Hospital said in a statement on Saturday.

“Members of the public are still asked not to come to the General Campus. Please visit other Emergency Departments in the city. If you are in need of immediate medical attention, please call 911.”

Anyone needing emergency care can visit the emergency departments at the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus, the Montfort Hospital and the Queensway-Carleton Hospital.

Emergency crews responded to a fire in the hydro vault on the third floor of the hospital at 3:45 p.m. Friday. Ottawa fire said there were no patients on the floor.

A ‘Code Red’ was initially declared at the hospital Friday afternoon and some patients were relocated to other areas of the hospital. Ottawa fire said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that approximately 100 patients have been relocated at the hospital, including patients from the 4th floor West Wing to 4th floors East Wing.

The fire was contained just after 6 p.m.

The Ottawa Hospital says a family reunification centre is being set up at the General Campus, for those with loved ones currently being admitted to the hospital. More information on the centre will be released on Saturday.

“We want to thank everyone for their patience while we managed this situation,” the Ottawa Hospital said Saturday morning. “Staff are working hard to restore normal operations at the General Campus, but this may take some time.”

There are no injuries due to the fire.

We are currently on scene at the General Hospital for a transformer fire in a hydro vault on the 3rd floor. The call came in at approx 15:47 & it has been comfirmed there are no patients on the fire floor & no evacuation will be required. Firefighters are strategically… pic.twitter.com/RejkzxQWGj

— Ottawa Fire Services (@OttFire) October 27, 2023