The inpatient unit at Brockton (Mass.) Hospital will likely remain closed for three months after a fire that broke out Feb. 7 caused significant damage.
"Our goal is to re-open the hospital with limited inpatient services in approximately three months," Signature Healthcare, which owns Brockton Hospital, said in a Feb. 16 update. "This timeline is contingent on supply chain and access to necessary materials."
To help ensure care access in the meantime, Signature Healthcare said it plans to open two urgent care centers over the next several weeks.
A 10-alarm transformer fire prompted Brockton Hospital to evacuate 176 patients Feb. 7. The hospital discharged 38 and transported 138 patients to other area facilities. The closure has led to strain at Good Samaritan Medical Center, also based in Brockton, where emergency volume has doubled since the fire broke out.
"While Brockton Hospital remains closed, we will continue to work on creative ways to ensure that our dedicated staff has the resources they need and that everyone in the Brockton community has access to care without interruption," Good Samaritan Medical Center said in a statement to NBC affiliate 10Boston Feb.14.