PETERSBURG, Va. -- Officials said cleanup is underway after a hot water pipe burst at Southside Regional Medical Center (SRMC) in Petersburg Saturday morning.
Officials said the ruptured pipe above a patient's room on the third flood caused a “considerable amount” of water to flood several rooms, the hall and a room below on the second floor.
"We went in and the water was coming from the ceiling in a burst pipe, flowing water down into the room," Capt. Winslur Barlow with Petersburg Fire-Rescue said. "The water was actually hotter than your usual shower water."
Nurses relocated one patient in the room where the pipe burst, according to Capt. Barlow.
SRMC Marketing Director Brandon Seier said one nurse suffered minor burns in the incident. Officials said she was treated at the hospital and released.
Firefighters helped minimize damage by removing several toilets and then channeling water into those holes.
Capt. Barlow said firefighters also used poles to poke holes in ceiling tiles, which they then placed trash cans under to catch water.
Officials said their efforts helped minimize damage to the hospital’s second and third floors as well as unoccupied offices on the first floor.
"Petersburg Fire Rescue and Emergency Services and SRMC staff should be commended for their swift response to the incident to ensure our patients were safe," Seier said.
Additionally, officials said the hospital's plant services team is investigating what caused the pipe to fail.
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