Ambulance Catches Fire Outside Hospital Emergency Room

EAST PATCHOGUE, NY – An ambulance went up in flames in front of the emergency room of Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center in East Patchogue Friday morning.

It happened around 8:30 a.m. There was no fire in the emergency department itself, but there was a minor smoke condition in the emergency room screening area and the main emergency room, the hospital said in a statement.

The fire was quickly extinguished by the Hagerman Fire Department with assistance by Brookhaven and North Patchogue among others including: South Country Ambulance, Bellport, Medford, Blue Point, Holbrook, Mastic and Shirley Fire Departments.

“I am impressed and so grateful for all of our staff who showed their excellence and heartfelt care through their response this morning," said Richard Margulis, the hospital's president and CEO. "However, I am not surprised. We train constantly for situations like these and that gives us such confidence in times when quick action is needed.

The ER was evacuated to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital’s Knapp Cardiac Care Center, with forward triage being handled in the lobby of the Knapp building.

The hospital remained open and all patients were continually cared for, officials said.