Marshfield Clinic Health System Reschedules Some Procedures after Trash Compactor Fire

 

Marshfield, WI (OnFocus) The Marshfield Fire and Rescue Department responded to the East Wing of the Marshfield Clinic Health System at 6 p.m. on Friday for a fire in a trash compactor.

The 8-person Red Shift crew responded with two fire trucks, a ladder truck, and an ambulance.

Upon arrival, firefighters saw light smoke which developed into heavier smoke but no visible flames. Clinic personnel were working to evacuate the building. The crew set up 3 fire lines, or hoses, to perform a fire attack and were able to get the fire under control.

Clinic maintenance staff pulled the external part of the compactor away from the building using a skid steer, according to the fire department. The fire crew then worked to remove smoke from the building.

The call was completed in about 2 hours, 20 minutes. One firefighter sustained a knee injury but was not transported. Smoke reached the 4th floor of the building and affected some of the ambulatory surgical suites.

A few procedures were rescheduled due to the incident, but the “vast majority” are proceeding as planned and the overall effect of the fire on operations was minimal, according to a clinic spokesperson.

The total damage estimate is open-ended because the economic impact could not be estimated, the fire department said. The damage to the trash compactor itself was minimal.