Submitted on behalf of the Bedford Fire Department
Chief David Grunes reports that the Bedford Fire Department responded after smoke was reported inside the VA hospital this afternoon.
At 3:37 p.m., Bedford firefighters were dispatched to the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, 200 Springs Road, after a fire alarm was activated inside Building 6 at the complex.
Captain Mark Sullivan was the on-scene commander. Upon arrival, firefighters observed smoke on the first floor of the building, and later located it on the second and third floors of the building as well. Bedford firefighters assisted hospital staff with relocating patients to a separate area of the hospital from the one affected floor that was occupied.
Firefighters determined that the smoke originated from a void space between the building and a stairway. A preliminary investigation indicates that the smoke condition was the result of smoking materials that were discarded near a debris pile in the void space.
Firefighters subsequently alleviated the issue and cleared smoke from the building and left the scene at approximately 6:15 p.m.
“I commend our firefighters for helping support a safe and orderly evacuation, while also determining the root of the problem and preventing any serious damage,” Chief Grunes said. “I also want to thank our mutual aid partners for their assistance and support this afternoon.”
There were no injuries as a result of the incident.
Firefighters from the Billerica, Lexington, Concord and Burlington Fire Departments provided mutual aid during the incident.
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