Generator explodes at Providence Hospital
Christmas morning concerns at Columbia’s Providence Hospital, where an electrical transformer exploded.
“I ran outside and all I saw was nothing but smoke,” said hospital worker Soto Manos.
Manos works at the hospital. In addition to a fire inside, Manos says the blast was so powerful it damaged a nearby building.
“It was a transformer machine right there that actually flew across the road and shattered all the glass and everything,” said Manos.
According to hospital officials the situation could have been worse. But because of the holiday, many people who would have been working in the building hit, were off.
“I hate to think of what could have happened because it went across the street,” said hospital spokesman John Kessler.
Kessler says the hospital prepares for emergencies like the one on Friday; and the nearly 100 patients inside were never at risk.
“Alarms went off because we lost power for a couple of seconds, the lights flickered, it caused an emergency response and a command center was implemented,” said Kessler.
Right after the explosion, Providence used it’s generator for temporary power. Officials are now investigating to find out what caused the Christmas day chaos.
Crews have been able to restore most of the hospital’s main power. Right now, there is no official damage estimate.