Fire inside Montebello hospital forces patient evacuations

A dozen patients had to be moved out of their hospital in Montebello Monday after a small fire broke out inside the building.

The fire was reported at around 11 a.m. at Adventist Health White Memorial Montebello on Beverly Boulevard. Fire officials told NBC Los Angeles that when they arrived on the first floor of the building, there was heavy smoke inside.

“Our first units were able to contain the fire, but multiple patients were evacuated,” Assistant Fire Chief Alfredo Estrada of the Montebello Fire Department said.

The hospital later confirmed the fire started inside an employee lunchroom.

The 12 patients from the ICU and emergency department were safely transferred to a Los Angeles location of the hospital system and other partner facilities, hospital officials said.

Assistant Chief Estrada confirmed none of the transported patients suffered injuries from the fire. But one nurse suffered some smoke inhalation, he said.

The hospital confirmed the fire did not affect its two primary inpatient units where most of its patients are cared for.

Fire officials did not believe there was any suspicious activity behind the fire.