IU Health Bloomington (Ind.) Hospital was warned by a fire marshal to remove patients from its hallways, The Herald-Times reported Aug. 21.
Bloomington Fire Marshal Tim Clapp went to the hospital to inspect a new administrative space that was being built out. While there, he found dozens of patients on cots or beds in the hallways, blocking the exit, he told the Times. He instructed staff to clear the hallways, and staff quickly obeyed, the report said.
The hospital plans to complete a project that will add up to 14 "flex spaces" to be used for patients with less serious conditions when the hospital is overcrowded, Samantha Kirby, a communications consultant for IU Health, told the Times. The new rooms will be ready before the end of August.