At approximately 2:01 a.m. the Saskatoon Fire Department received a notification of a fire signal activation at the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, located at 103 Hospital Drive. Immediately following notification of the fire signal, fire dispatchers received communication from the hospital confirming a fire in the emergency room. Four fire engines, one rescue unit, one aerial ladder truck, one fire investigation unit, and one battalion chief were dispatched to the scene.

Prior to the arrival of fire crews, hospital staff began evacuating nearby patients to other areas of the hospital and terminated the oxygen supply in the affected area. Upon arrival, firefighters learned that hospital security had partially extinguished the fire using an on-site fire extinguisher. Fire crews completed extinguishing the fire using additional fire extinguishers while simultaneously searching for possible areas of extension. Ventilation of remaining smoke and toxins was conducted using the building’s HVAC system.

A fire investigator has confirmed this fire to be accidental as a result of smoking; an adult patient received severe burns to approximately 25% of his upper body after attempting to smoke while receiving oxygen. It is understood that a small explosion occurred, igniting the fire and causing about $1,000 in damage to the hospital. The new Royal University Hospital Adult Emergency is actually located in the new Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon.