Photo by: (MCFR)
Investigators believe a lit cigarette is what caused a fire at a rehabilitation center in Hobe Sound on Monday, leading to one person being seriously injured.
Martin County Fire Rescue (MCFR) said on August 11, at around noon, crews responded to a structure fire at the Senior Living Center of Martin County which is connected to the Martin Coast Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare on SE Federal Highway in Hobe Sound.
“Crews arrived to find one of the rooms at the rehabs to be fully engulfed with smoke, which quickly led to them putting water on it and extinguishing the fire,” Martin County Fire Rescue District Chief Tom Hornbostel said.
The fire, believed to have been caused by a lit cigarette, was quickly knocked down and isolated by responding crews, according to the news release. However, the facility’s sprinkler system activated, prompting additional efforts to shut it off and prevent further water damage. “The sprinklers and smoke alarm systems played a crucial role in this. The early detection and suppression from those played a key factor in keeping this fire in check and isolated just to the room of origin,” Chief Hornbostel said.
MCFR said a total of 28 residents were temporarily displaced from the affected wing of the facility. Of those:
- 11 residents were relocated to another building on-site
- The remaining residents were transported to a partner assisted living facility
Three patients were medically evaluated, MCFR said:
- One patient with serious injuries was airlifted by LifeStar to St. Mary’s Medical Center
- One patient with minor injuries was transported to Cleveland Clinic South
- One patient with minor injuries declined transport
Crews used positive pressure ventilation to clear smoke and worked diligently to keep it contained to individual rooms, minimizing further disruption and damage.
Martin County Fire Rescue continues to investigate the incident, but preliminary findings point to a lit cigarette as the likely cause.
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Source: cbs12
