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TOP STORY OF THE DAY - UPDATE: Nursing home fire under investigation
At 10:54 a.m. Friday, Clay County 911 Dispatch Center received a call from Cloverleaf Health Center in Knightsville reporting a fire.
First responders from multiple agencies, nursing home staff, and community members immediately sprung into action. All with one goal: to ensure the 71 residents and facility were safe.
Agencies on the scene included;
Brazil City Police Department
Clay County Sheriff’s Department
Indiana State Police
Indiana Conservation officers
Knightsville Town Marshall’s Office
Brazil Fire Department
Van Buren Volunteer Fire Department
STAR and Trans-Care ambulance services,
Clay Community School Transportation Department
and many family members of the residents and community members offered to help, to name a few.
No injuries among the staff or residents were reported, and the small fire was contained and extinguished at approximately 11:15 a.m.
The fire is currently under investigation by the State Fire Marshall’s Office.
Sheriff Brison Swearingen and Brazil Assistant Police Chief Dennis Archer were at the scene.
“Emergency services from fire, law enforcement, and EMS joined forces to assist the healthcare staff in their evacuation efforts to safely remove all of the residents from the facility,” said Swearingen. “I am very pleased with the response and cooperation across all responding agencies that resulted in a successful outcome.”
Archer agreed, adding, “I thought it was another great example of the community jumping in to help. When the decision was made to evacuate, many people showed up. First responders and Cloverleaf staff were assisted by Hutsonwood, Clay Community School Corporation, and Hollybrook, as well as family members and people who came to the scene to volunteer. Everyone worked well together, which resulted in all residents being safely evacuated.”
Protocols, a plan of action, are in place in emergencies like a fire or evacuation event at a local assisted living or nursing home facility. First responders work throughout the year on these plans to provide the most efficient and timely response possible.
Although the Cloverleaf Healthcare facility is out of their jurisdiction, the Brazil Fire Department responded to assist, being the first fire engine on the scene.
Fire Chief Jake Bennett confirmed the sprinkler system had gone off, but the fire was active when they arrived. The fire was not easy to put out, said Bennett, who explained it was still growing, and firefighters had to deploy an attack line and drag it down the hallways to push back heat and smoke into where it originated and extinguish it.
Bennett quickly shared his gratitude for all those who helped during the fire and resident evacuation.
“Moving those patients to other facilities and to be checked out is no small task either. Many agencies came together to respond and address this emergency that affected a vulnerable demographic,” said Bennett. “There are moving parts even off-site that are essential.”
Bennett named a few, including the school corporation cooperation in providing transportation, health officials, state building officials, State Fire Marshall’s office, St Vincent Clay Hospital staff being prepared for patients, and off-duty Brazil firefighters responding to the station to cover the city in case of other emergencies.
“It was a hectic scene,” said Bennett. “But agencies were working well together for the betterment of the whole.
While the staff employees are still busy with details concerning the Friday fire, Cloverleaf’s Community Liaison Director Allie Taylor took to social media Friday to thank everyone who helped and confirmed the safety and health of the residents at Cloverleaf Healthcare, “The residents from HutsonWood at Brazil and Cloverleaf Healthcare came together after lunch and played games provided by Heart to Heart To Heart Hospice Terre Haute/Bloomington able to help keep the residents busy and providing snacks during staff moving furniture, supplies, equipment. Keeping their minds distracted during their uprooting. I can not be more proud to live in this small hometown.”
Taylor wanted to say “thank you” to the “Carbon Heating and Cooling Team on the scene with their personal trucks loading wheelchairs. Husbands, bringing trailers to move beds and families, friends, staff off the clock, and staff that no longer work with us coming together. Those also offering help were VNA Hospice, Gentiva, Hickory Creek, Providence Healthcare, Asbury Towers, Hollybrook, Clay Community Schools, and the Senior Citizens Center; I can not thank you enough for your help.”
Cloverleaf will release a press release later this week.
