Smoke in Air-Handling Unit Results in Fire Call to Hospital; No Fire

Smoke in an air-handling unit resulted in an early morning fire call to HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital.

A statement from the hospital's Maintenance Facilitator, Tim Holste, reads that at 4:37am, the bearings on the air-handling unit, which serves the hospital's basement Materials Management area, locked up and caused the unit's belt to release smoke. That set off the smoke detectors in the ducts and a smoke detector in the kitchen. The detectors automatically dialed the monitoring company, which contacted the Effingham Fire Department.

Firefighters responded to the hospital and found no fire. 

Holste's statement reads that patient care was not affected. It adds that the hospital has two alternating units for the affected area, and the second unit is in place and functioning properly.

Effingham firefighters were joined by an engine from Teutopolis on scene, while Watson and Montrose staffed the Effingham stations. Firefighters were on scene for just over an hour.