Shuttered Patterson Hospital Burns To The Ground
The interim fire chief for the Patterson and West Stanislaus Fire Department has called the fire "suspicious."
Modesto Bee:
Massive Fire Destroys Shuttered Patterson Hospital
A shuttered hospital plagued by theft, break-ins and trespassing burned to the ground Tuesday morning under what officials are calling suspicious circumstances. “All three wings of the hospital were fully involved in fire, which is suspicious because if it were fireworks (that caused it) it would be just a portion of the building (that was on fire),” said Jeff Gregory, Interim Fire Chief for Patterson and West Stanislaus Fire Department. He said for years transients have frequented the former Del Puerto Hospital at E and Ninth streets, stealing wiring, pipes and any other scrap metal. (Tracy, 7/5)
In other hospital news —
Sacramento Bee:
Sutter Health Launches Air/Ground Ambulance Transport Network
Sacramento’s Sutter Health has launched a new medical transport network to quickly serve critically ill, injured and fragile patients throughout Northern California. The network features air ambulances operated by McClellan-based California Shock Trauma Air Rescue, Calstar for short, and ground ambulances operated by American Medical Response, headquartered in Colorado. Sutter Health said it has stationed 12 critical care ground ambulances at 11 Sutter hospitals and helicopters at four Calstar air bases in Northern California. (Glover, 7/5)