Eight elderly patients die at Florida nursing facility due to power outage

Eight elderly patients, who were being cared for at a facility in South Florida, were found dead after the nursing home lost power during the deadly Hurricane Irma. Following the discovery of these deaths, a criminal investigation has begun in the case as officials suspect negligence behind this tragic incident.

Several homes, businesses and facilities lost power after the deadly hurricane but the consequences at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hill, which is a nursing home in Hollywood, Florida, were the most deadly.

After the storm subsided and officials began inspecting the damage, they found three elderly residents dead at the facility on Wednesday. The entire building was very hot as it had been left without air conditioning after the storm. Five more patients from the nursing home later died at a nearby hospital where they were rushed after being found.

Police said they have opened a probe into possible criminal negligence.

“The building has been sealed off and we are conducting a criminal investigation inside,” Hollywood Police Chief Tomas Sanchez told reporters on Wednesday. “It was very hot on the second floor.”

The eight people who died at the nursing home were between the ages of 71 to 99. The cause of their death has yet to be determined.

More than 100 patients at the nursing home were transferred to nearby branches of Memorial Regional Hospital, where they were given immediate treatment for their varied conditions. Most of the surviving patients “have been treated for respiratory distress, dehydration, and heat-related issues”, Regional Memorial Hospital spokesman Randy Katz told reporters.

Hurricane Irma has been the second deadliest storm to hit the US in this year and so far it has caused more than 80 deaths and billions of worth of damage to property.

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Posted by fatimaarshad on Sep 14 2017. Filed under Latest News, World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.