The power outage, caused by a fire, put the hospital’s response capacity to the test
Image of the back of the General Hospital, affected by the fire
On 21 September 2007, a fire in the electrical system at Vall d’Hebron Hospital plunged the healthcare complex into darkness. It was a stressful situation, but the commitment of all staff allowed the hospital to keep functioning until the power supply was restored.
In the early hours, a large explosion, followed by several smaller ones, was caused by a spill while diesel was being pumped into the generator tanks. For nearly three hours, firefighters battled to put out the fire, but even so, the blaze destroyed the generators, cutting off the power supply to most of the hospital.
It was a completely unexpected situation, as the hospital, like all hospitals, had alternative sources of lighting and electrical power in place to prevent any impact from a potential outage. But that morning, it was those alternative sources that exploded and caught fire.
That situation put the problem-solving ability of many hospital professionals to the test. More than ever, teamwork was essential to keep everything running. A large-scale purchase of torches, lanterns and anything that could provide light for the facilities was made, and an assembly line was set up to insert batteries and distribute the lights throughout the stairwells. Healthcare workers moved through the wards with torches. ICU staff had to ventilate patients manually until the first generator arrived. The kitchen staff had to modify the menu and carry pots and pans up the stairs. It was an extremely stressful few hours that put everyone, both healthcare and non-healthcare staff, to the test. They pulled through, showing that in a critical moment, everyone gave their best to overcome the situation.
Throughout the day, the power supply was gradually restored, and normality was progressively regained. The arrival of backup generators made it possible to resume normal activity until the damage could be repaired.
