Update July 23: It will likely be two days before residents return to the Harbour Pointe Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center on Hampton Blvd. in Norfolk.
Nearly 150 patients and residents were moved out of the building during a span of nearly 12 hours Tuesday after a sprinkler head was activated while a contractor was performing maintenance on the generator.
That caused water to get onto much of the electrical equipment and some flooding.
James Woroneski's father Peter is a patient at the facility. He drove up from North Carolina only to be told he would get a call about where his father was being moved.
Woroneski says it was only when he started making calls Wednesday morning that he learned his father, who has diabetes and advanced dementia, had been moved to a facility in Hampton.
"He’s absolutely stressed out. He’s confused, he doesn’t know what the heck is going on,"Woroneski explained.
A statement from Harbour Pointe's owner Vanguard Healthcare Services, says that staff members have made an effort to reach out to "each and every resident's responsible party."
“Some of our resident’s family members are not listed as his or her responsible party,” said LeAnne Bailey, Harbour Pointe’s Administrator, in the statement. “We are currently trying to contact these family members from the location of their loved one.”
Staff members from Harbour Pointe have been stationed at every facility where patients were moved and at the evacuated Hampton Blvd. location to answer questions from family members.
Update July 22: There are still 20 patients left to be transported. They say the event should be wrapping up soon.
The electrical service will be evaluated by a contractor once everyone is out of the building.
Norfolk, Va. - Harbour Pointe Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center has been evacuated due to an electrical outage in the building.
Officials say during routine maintenance of the generator, a sprinkler went off in the mechanical room and water got into electrical service panels. This activated the fire alarm at around 12:45 p.m. and Norfolk Fire and Rescue responded.
There was some flooding inside of the room and the electricity will be shut down for evaluation.
They are now evacuating patients from the building to several different locations throughout the city. Some of these individuals require special needs and oxygen.
No one was injured during the incident.
