The emergency Department of the hospital Cedars-Sinai Marina Del Rey was closed on the morning of 28 January after a leak of liquid oxygen. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
According to the fire Department of Los Angeles (LAFD), firefighters went to call the hospital at 4650 Lincoln Blvd. around 8:40. By 11 o’clock they found that the leak came from the cut pipe on the oxygen cylinder capacity of 2 thousand gallons next to the emergency Department. A large part of the tank overflowed.
This morning @MDRHospital experienced an oxygen leak. Currently the ER is closed and @LAFD is on scene responding. There are no injuries and patients are not at risk. Surgeries scheduled for today are postponed, please call 310-448-5268 to reschedule.
— MarinadelReyHospital (@MDRHospital) January 28, 2019
Initially, LAFD reported that a leak of liquid nitrogen, and formed on the spill vapor cloud could be flammable or have other hazardous properties. Later, a group of firefighters determined that spilled liquid oxygen and that it is not dangerous.
Functions of emergency Department were transferred to other health institutions in the district, while the fire brigade worked to assess the problem, determine the cause of the leak and repair the damaged pipe. According to LAFD captain Eric Scott, some patients were taken to other hospitals ambulance LAFD, based on their medical needs. All the operations scheduled for Monday was postponed.
Scott said that when flowing liquid oxygen in an enclosed space mixed with air, it freezes. The leak was supposed to thaw before you repair the pipe. Team work with hazardous materials removed, the liquid that the engineer was able to repair the pipe.
#LAFD @PIOErikScott providing update on #Hazmat response to Marina Del Rey hospital with @abc7jovana @ABC7 pic.twitter.com/sGQaRUPoZD
— Talk LAFD (@LAFDtalk) March 28, 2019
Liquid oxygen is used for medical reasons, in particular, in the treatment of respiratory diseases. Administration at Cedars-Sinai said that the hospital works closely with the LAFD, in order to solve the problem. Learn about the future work schedule of the hospital by phone 310-448-5268.
