DICKSON CITY, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — As Lehigh Valley Hospital-Dickson City stands in silence for the first time since construction, local firefighters reflect on the disastrous fire.
READ MORE: Lehigh Valley Hospital in Dickson City evacuated after fire damages Orthopedic Institute
The night following the fire, the building stands with lights and televisions reflecting outward through windows on the larger portion of the building.
In stark contrast, the Orthopedic Institute is shrouded in darkness, surrounded by caution tape and charred rubble.
Firefighters say this contrast is a result of a firewall separating the two portions of the building.
While not on scene during the fire, Scranton Fire Chief John Judge shares insight on how firewalls like Lehigh Valley’s can decrease risk during a large-scale fire rescue operation.
“It’s really just designed to give firefighters a fighting chance to get that fire extinguished and also protect the occupants inside the building ,” he said, “Once we’re in there and we start extinguishing the fire, it helps us with containing it in certain areas so it’s not spreading throughout especially a large structure like that.”
READ MORE: Lackawanna Co. Director of Emergency Management: LVH fire “Once in a Lifetime’ Emergency”
As fire extinguishing efforts play out, the risk to firefighters increases with each gallon of water.
“[Firewalls] make it safer for us operating in and around a building that’s now structurally instable because of the amount of weight we’re putting in through putting water into the building and the fire itself eating away at the structural components of the building,” said Chief Judge.
FOX56 has reached out to Lehigh Valley Health Network for comment, but has not yet heard back. This is a developing story, FOX56 will provide updates as they are made available.
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