A modern fire wall saved Lehigh Valley Hospital-Dickson City’s new main section from destruction Wednesday, but couldn’t stop smoke from the older, wood-truss wing from permeating the entire facility.
“It’s a fire wall, not a smoke wall,” Dickson City Fire Chief Richard Chowanec said while pointing out a breach between the two sections of the building.
The fire wall kept flames from reaching the main section, which houses an emergency room and medical-surgical beds. But the facility incurred significant smoke damage.
Caution tape and cones restrict public access to the front entrance of Leigh Valley Hospital-Dickson City in Dickson City Friday, February 6, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
The fire tore through the orthopedic wing of hospital Wednesday night forcing the evacuation of over 70 patients in frigid temperatures. Firefighters rushed to the scene and found the roof in flames. There were no injuries and patients were transferred to other hospitals by ambulances.
As crews worked Friday, just 48 hours after the fire, the chief emphasized it was too early to determine a cause or estimate when the facility could reopen.
“There’s a lot of parties involved in the investigation from insurance companies to builders to several contractors, so they will all have their hands in this investigation,” Chowanec said. “They’ll be doing their separate investigations. It’s going to be a while.”
In contrast to the hospital’s main section constructed in 2022, Dickson City Borough Manager Cesare Forconi believes the orthopedic wing of the hospital was built before the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code took effect in 2004, which provides stricter standards for construction.
Vehicles are parked in the lot of Lehigh Valley Hospital – Dickson City Friday, February 6, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Instead, the section was built in conformance with Building Officials and Code Administrators standards, which allowed for a wood truss construction, he said.
“The wooden truss roof caught fire and the roof system collapsed to the first floor,” he said.
In addition, the section was first designed for orthopedic doctors’ offices, with less stringent standards than those required for a hospital, Forconi said.
Looking back on coordinated response
This is the first time the Dickson City Fire Department has dealt with such a big fire at a medical facility and Chowanec is proud of his firefighters and the assistance of other departments.
Chowanec said there would be a formal critique of firefighters’ response and he expects the review to reflect the professional and effective response of his department and other first responders.
Firefighters were called back to the scene Thursday for what was reported as possible hot spots, which turned out to be steam coming from the fire wall, Chowanec said.
“The hospital remains temporarily closed while teams conduct thorough damage assessments and plan for a safe reopening,” a hospital spokesperson said Thursday.
People walk through the parking lot of Lehigh Valley Hospital-Dickson City Friday, February 6, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)