Paul Hurst, View Royal Fire Chief, reported that they quickly found out that one of the large steam lines in the boiler rooms in the hallway had ruptured.
Hurst explained that a worker was working on either a connection or valve when the valve or pipe ruptured. The steam that was escaping from the back of the hospital was also under pressure. "This thing let go while the guy worked on it."
Hurst stated that fire crews entered the hall to investigate what was happening. The maintenance worker was found in the hallway with severe burns. Langford firefighters tried to cool the worker down in a shower, and then carried him to an ambulance waiting to take him to Royal Jubilee Hospital's burn unit.
Hurst described the situation as dangerous and terrifying, given that temperatures in hallways reached 130 C.
Imagine two to three inches of boiling hot water rushing down the hall. He said that there was no visibility. It was a chaotic scene for the initial 20 minutes. You can't even see the steam pipe or where it is coming from.
View Royal and Colwood firemen had to climb up 10 feet to a ceiling space in order to turn off the valve.
The firefighters then found a man who was not as badly injured and took him to Royal Jubilee in another ambulance.
Hurst stated that the incident resulted in significant water damage to the first floor, and hospital staff are trying their best to remove the water from the hallway.
He said, "It's a team effort." "It had been a mess for a time."
He said that 29 firefighters and three chiefs responded.
Island Health spokesperson Andrew Leyne stated that no patients were injured, and the patient care was not affected.
He said that ambulances were diverted for two hours from occupational hygienist Sydney to Royal Jubilee this morning. However, the VGH Emergency Department is still open and can provide emergency care.
Leyne stated that there had been flooding in an area outside of the patient care areas, and plans to repair and remediate are already underway.
WorkSafe B.C. West Shore RCMP and WorkSafe B.C. are investigating the accident because it is an industrial accident.
Yesenia Dhott confirmed to the media that WorkSafe B.C. had been informed of an incident on the job at around 9:15 am.
A WorkSafe B.C. A WorkSafe B.C. prevention officer was assigned to the incident. Dhott stated that they had no other information at this time.