Nineteen patients were evacuated after a paper towel dispenser caught fire at HCA Florida Largo Hospital July 7, NBC affiliate WFLA reported.
The Largo Fire Rescue responded to the hospital around 8 p.m. after nursing staff reported smoke on the third floor. They found the fire started in a patient's bathroom but was diminished by the sprinkler system, Largo Fire District Chief Kyle Lighthiser told the news outlet. The fire "completely burned one of the paper towel dispensers" and some towels on the sink.
"Preliminary investigation shows that a paper towel dispenser possibly overloaded with some batteries, and because paper towels are highly flammable, it overheated the paper towels inside, started to drip molten plastic down onto the table that they had tissue papers, and towels on and then it extended to the wall from there. It was contained at height of about mid-way up the wall," Mr. Lighthiser told WFLA.
The fire caused 19 patients to be evacuated and eventually moved to different rooms, but there were no patient injuries.