Smoke from fire at Swedish/Edmonds forces evacuation of some patients



EDMONDS, Wash. -- A fire in a sub-basement mechanical room at Swedish Medical Center in Edmonds sent heavy smoke upwards, forcing the evacuation of more than 30 patients Thursday night.

No one was reported injured in the fire, which was extinguished by firefighters.

But heavy smoke spread throughout part of the hospital, forcing personnel to evacuate some -- but not all -- patients.  Some beds containing patients were rolled out into the hospital parking lot, where temperatures were dropping to at least near-freezing. Other patients were able to remain in parts of the hospital unaffected by the smoke.

More than 30 patients were evacuated, mostly from the 9th floor. Many were taken to Providence Hospital in Everett, while a spokesman at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue said they were expecting eight patients from Edmonds.

Cause of the fire was not immediately released.