Lehigh Valley Hospital–Dickson City reopens ER and surgery nine days after fire

DICKSON CITY, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — Just nine days after a devastating fire forced the evacuation of 77 patients and destroyed its orthopedic building, Regional Hospital in Dickson City is back open. The hospital resumed emergency and surgical services this morning following clearance from the state. Officials say it’s a remarkable turnaround made possible by teamwork across every level of government and health care.

It was a dramatic night just over a week ago when flames tore through the orthopedic institute at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Dickson City, forcing dozens of patients into the cold and sending smoke across the borough.

Nine days later, the doors are open again.

The hospital’s emergency department reopened at 7 a.m., with operating rooms following at 9, after an inspection by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and coordination with borough officials. While the orthopedic building remains closed, emergency, surgical and limited inpatient services are now restored.

Dickson City Mayor Robert MacCallum, who also serves as a volunteer firefighter and responded to the blaze, called it an emotional milestone.

“It’s a proud day for something that could have been a tragedy,” said MacCallum. “There was loss but no life loss, no major injuries and to be back up and operational, it’s just a huge accomplishment.”

MacCallum admits he wasn’t sure the hospital could reopen this quickly, especially after witnessing the blaze Wednesday night.

“Personally, I thought maybe we’d take a little bit longer time. But from seeing that effort that night and then even into the next couple days and the communications and the commitment from the emergency responders to the hospital itself, to our local governments and county government to state government,” said MacCallum.

He credits that coordination, from first responders to hospital leadership, for making the goal a reality.

“When we met with them at the appreciation dinner, hospital leadership said they had a goal of this Friday morning, and it seemed realistic, but it seemed like a far-fetched goal. It all came through and it’s a huge accomplishment,” said MacCallum.

Hospital officials say more than 400 colleagues, partners and contractors worked around the clock to safely restore care.

In a statement, Joseph G. Cacchione, MD, CEO of Jefferson, said, “This milestone speaks to the unwavering dedication and teamwork of our Jefferson colleagues, and the strong partnership we’ve had with local and state partners throughout this recovery. We’re grateful to safely restore these essential services, and we remain fully committed to supporting the health and well-being of the Dickson City community.”

Baligh R. Yehia, MD, President of Jefferson Health, added, “We know how deeply this community depends on timely access to emergency and surgical care. From day one, our teams approached this work with urgency, compassion and a genuine commitment to ensuring people can get the care they need, close to home. As we move forward, we will continue to be thoughtful and deliberate in expanding access and supporting the community we proudly serve.”

As part of the reopening, surgeries will take place throughout the weekend to help patients whose procedures were delayed. A mobile kitchen has also been set up on-site to maintain essential food services.

Mayor MacCallum emphasized that reopening did not come at the expense of safety.

“I can assure nothing was done hastily. Everything that had to be followed was followed from our local guidelines, but more importantly to the Department of Health. The Department of Health was on the scene and remains on the scene Their number one priority that night was the safety of their patients and their staff. That continues today,” said MacCallum.

For MacCallum, the hospital represents more than a building, but easy access to healthcare for residents.

“It was one of our proudest moments of the city when we knew the hospital was possibly going to be here. I was there for the groundbreaking It’s left a footprint already. People are used to it being there. So it’s just very important to have something this end of town,” said MacCallum.

Hospital leaders say work continues to restore additional services, but for now, emergency and surgical care are once again available to the Scranton region.