120 patients evacuated after flooding shuts down Methodist Hospital in South Philly

120 patients evacuated as South Philly hospital closes after flood prompts power outage

Jefferson Health Methodist Hospital in South Philadelphia remains closed after a burst pipe caused flooding and a power outage, leading to the evacuation of all patients.

PHILADELPHIA - Jefferson Health Methodist Hospital in South Philadelphia remains closed after a burst pipe flooded the basement and caused a power outage Tuesday night, according to police and hospital officials.

Emergency evacuation and hospital closure after flooding

What we know:

Police say a burst pipe filled the hospital’s basement with 3 feet of water Tuesday night, cutting off power to the entire building, including the backup generator.

A spokesperson for Jefferson said, "The hospital experienced a loss of power Tuesday evening. The cause of the outage is still being investigated but appears to be related to an external water source."

Ambulances lined South Broad Street as 120 patients were evacuated into the morning and relocated to other Jefferson facilities or the University of Pennsylvania Hospital, according to officials.

A temporary industrial water pump was brought in as the hospital investigates what caused the broken pipe.

The hospital’s emergency room was closed, and some patients arriving for care were met with signs telling them the hospital was not open.

Impact on patients and community response

The other side:

Sandra, a patient who arrived for a doctor’s appointment, said, "My concern is they got the patients out it’s hot. And there’s a lot of elderly patients really sick ones as long as they got them to a safe place and they are comfortable that’s all that matters."

Rosemary, a South Philadelphia resident, said, "The security guard just said this hospital is going to be closed all day an possibly the next couple days."

A hotline has been set up to help families reunite with patients who have been transferred to other hospitals. 

Those seeking to locate their loved ones can call Jefferson’s information line at 215-463-2031.

The hospital closure comes as temperatures inside the building began to rise during the third day of a heat wave.

What we don't know:

Some of the power to the building has been restored, but there is still no timeline for when Methodist Hospital will reopen. 

The exact cause of the burst pipe and power outage is still under investigation.