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UPDATE: CMH main entrance reopens, boil water advisory in place due to extreme cold troubles

Hospital remains fully operational but without running water
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The extreme cold weather this week is wreaking havoc at Cariboo Memorial Hospital. (Angie Mindus photo - Williams Lake Tribune)

UPDATE

The Hospital’s Main Entrance is once again open as of 1:20 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18 although both emergency and renal doors remain closed.

Due to further water leakage found throughout the hospital, the water was turned off on Friday, Jan. 17. Water is available at Deni House and staff are transporting it to supply the hospital.

A boil water advisory will be on throughout the rest of the day at the hospital as CMH staff works to turn the water back on and isolate leaks. Due to this, running water is expected to remain off for the rest of the day.

The CMH asks that the general public limits their visitations during this time.

ORIGINAL STORY

Warmer weather can’t come soon enough for staff at Cariboo Memorial Hospital.

CMH’s emergency, main, and now renal services entrances are closed due to three, separate incidents from the cold weather.

The latest entrance to be shut down because of flooding from a burst water pipe is the renal entrance, which happened late Friday night. The renal entrance had been serving as a temporary public entrance due to a burst pipe impacting the emergency entrance and cold weather freezing the doors at the public entrance earlier in the week.

Read More: Extreme cold bursts water pipe, closes emergency and main entrance to Cariboo Memorial Hospital

These challenges, however, are not impacting services. The hospital is operating fully, and renal services will continue as scheduled.

Public access to the hospital is now through the emergency department ambulance entrance off the parking lot.

Interior Health is asking the public to avoid marked areas in the parking lot which are blocked off due to ice buildup and be cautious in other areas where sanding has been placed to allow pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

“Our thanks to the many staff and contractors who have worked tirelessly this week to maintain operations under challenging conditions.”



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The last front entrance standing after this cold snap is through the emergency department’s ambulance only entrance, which the public has been authorized to use to access the rest of the hospital. (Patrick Davies photo-Williams Lake Tribune)


Angie Mindus

About the Author: Angie Mindus

A desire to travel led me to a full-time photographer position at the Williams Lake Tribune in B.C.’s interior.
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