Nearly six months after fire destroyed the Orthopedic Institute attached to Lehigh Valley Hospital–Dickson City, officials have yet to determine what caused the fire or announce plans regarding possible reconstruction.
Following the Feb. 4 blaze, Dickson City Fire Chief Richard Chowanec said fire officials listed the cause as “undetermined” and multiple insurance companies were conducting a joint investigation.
Last week, Chowanec said the involved insurance companies were continuing to investigate the cause of the fire.
Plans to rebuild unknown
When asked about plans to rebuild the orthopedic wing, a Jefferson Health spokesperson said the healthcare system anticipates an update soon and would keep the community posted.
Lehigh Valley Health Network and Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health completed a merger in 2024, closing the transaction that summer.
Borough Manager Cesare Forconi said no plans for rebuilding the orthopedic facility or any other structure at the site have been presented to the borough.
Forconi said he hopes the orthopedic hospital would be rebuilt in order to provide those services to local residents conveniently.
He also pointed out that patients do have access to four other orthopedic and sports medicine clinics across Lackawanna and Luzerne counties within the Lehigh Valley Hospital system. The hospital said early on that staff is available to help direct patients to the nearest facility to schedule those appointments.
Forconi continues to be grateful for first responders who rushed to the fire and evacuated nearly 80 patients from the facility’s main building.
He pointed out that the hospital’s main building opened less than two weeks later, providing emergency care to local residnets.
MONDAY UPDATE
THEN: Following a devastating blaze at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Dickson City on Feb. 4, fire officials listed the cause of the fire as “undetermined” and promised an update. Insurance companies, they said, were involved in the investigation.
NOW: Six months later, fire officials say the cause is yet to be determined by insurance companies involved.