The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) is evacuating patients from a hospital in the city, after the facility was hit by a power outage early on Tuesday, according to reports.
The department issued an alert at about 12:45 a.m. local time, writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, that a medical evacuation was ongoing at the Adventist Health White Memorial Hospital in the heart of the city.
Journalist Marc Ambinder reported the incident on X, writing that the LAFP was “rushing to evacuate critically-ill patients, some on ventilators, from White Memorial Hospital, near downtown LA.”
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He added: “A sudden power outage plunged the entire facility into darkness, including the ICU and emergency rooms. 20 ambulances are on their way to the scene for immediate action.”
In an update on its website, the LAFD wrote that it is “working with White Memorial staff and identifying prioritization of patients requiring transport to a new hospital with those on ventilators (assisted breathing) receiving top priority.”
According to the department, 11 patients were identified as the initial priority.
The power outage has made elevators unusable, forcing firefighters to “physically transport patients down from upper floors to awaiting ambulances.”
This is a breaking news story and will be updated later as more information comes in.