No injuries reported
Fire
damages assisted-living center for Columbus Dominicans
COLUMBUS, OH February 15, 2008--- A fire on
the roof forced the evacuation of Mohun Health Care Center, skilled-care
facility of the Dominican Sisters of St. Mary of the Springs,
Friday afternoon.
The Columbus Fire Division got the call at 4:40 p.m. for the
Mohun Health Care Center, 2340 Airport Dr. The 72-bed facility
cares for sisters and brothers, as well as priests and deacons
in the Diocese of Columbus. The facility is adjacent to the
religious community St. Mary of the Springs and the Ohio Dominican
University near Port Columbus.
There were no injuries. Smoke and flames were visible from
2 miles away. About 75 firefighters responded and the fire
was extinguished in about 30 minutes, said Kelly McGuire, Columbus
Fire Division spokeswoman.
The center was getting a new roof. The fire started near a
barrel of tar and spread into an elevator area, where firefighters
were able to contain it, McGuire said. The smoke activated
alarms on the fourth floor. Damage was estimated at about $100,000,
she said.
Sixty people inside were evacuated by Ohio Dominican students
and staff members.
“The firefighters were magnificent,” said Alice
Black, spokeswoman for the Dominican Sisters, St. Mary of the
Springs. “They responded immediately and extinguished
the fire.
“Everyone was calm,” Black said. “That's
when evacuation drills pay off.”
Sister Pat Twohill said the emergency crisis
plan “was
followed beautifully.”
“The residents were back (in the center)
for dinner.”
The center was built in the 1950s and renovated in the 1990s. By MARTIN ROZENMAN THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH |