Nov 30, 2012 12:29 PM
UPDATE, 11:26 a.m.
The fire was contained to a small area on the northwest corner of the hospital, where the MRI machines are, and emergency responders left the scene about 10:40 a.m. after clearing the first floor of smoke, Southampton Fire Department Captain Chris Brenner said.
About 40 firefighters responded, and the North Sea Fire Department stood by at Southampton’s Windmill Lane firehouse.
“Everybody did a great job, and the fire was quickly extinguished,” he said.
UPDATE, 10:18 a.m.
Southampton Hospital issued an emailed statement at 10:13 a.m. thanking the police, firefighters and other emergency responders for their “quick and professional response.”
ORIGINAL STORY:
A cloud of smoke engulfed part of Southampton Hospital on Friday morning, the result, apparently, of a cigarette tossed into an outdoor grate by a passerby, officials on the scene said.
No injuries were reported, but part of the hospital was evacuated while firefighters doused the fire.
The flames broke out shortly before 9:30 a.m., when a large plume of gray smoke could be seen rising from the grate near the hospital’s main entrance on Meeting House Lane.
“It appears somebody flicked a cigarette into the grate as they were passing by,” said Marsha Kenny, hospital spokeswoman, from the scene, adding that there were leaves in the grate that caught flame and resulted in smoke in a basement boiler room.
Several doctors and nurses standing outside remarked that the emergency room and MRI areas were also smoky. The ER was not evacuated, however, Ms. Kenny said.
Southampton Village Police and the Southampton Fire Department arrived soon after, and the situation was “under control” shortly after 9:30 a.m.
As a former smoker, I cannot excuse someone who is so careless about putting out their cigarette. Still people will smoke around the hospital area. I've noticed over the past few years that the hospital has prohibited smoking on the premises and that has forced its smoking employees to go across the street to smoke. Unfortunately, visitors to the hospital, especially around the ER ,may not be aware or disregard the restrictions. How strictly is this smoking ban enforced and who enforces it? This something that the Hospital will have to deal with. It seems to me that outdoor smoking areas/pods should be created with adequate ash trays etc. so that these people have somewhere to go to rather than smoking randomly about the property.
..
welcome to our small village > please feel free to toss your cigarette butts anywhere you want