Patients in evacuation at hospital

ERIN PEARSON
FIREFIGHTERS evacuated patients from Geelong Private Hospital on Wednesday afternoon after plumes of smoke spread from the building’s fourth floor, according to a CFA spokesperson.
Regional operations manager Gerry Verdoorn said the fire service received a call around 2.30pm that unidentified smoke was billowing from a coronary care unit on the northwest side of the hospital.
Mr Verdoorn said firefighters evacuated 11 patients to another part of the hospital.
Six fire trucks attended.
Police closed the intersection of Ryrie and Yarra streets while firefighters attempted to identify the source of the smoke.
Fire officers said they suspected the smoke had come from the hospital’s air-conditioning system.
They were still trying to identify the source and cause of the smoke when the Independent went to press on Wednesday afternoon.
Hospital general manager Luke Edwards said services returned to normal at 5pm.
“It took a long time but patients were clear of any danger.”