BLOOMINGTON – A fire at Monroe Hospital prompted an evacuation of the emergency room this morning, March 18th, 2025. Firefighters responded to the scene shortly after 10 a.m. following reports of smoke emanating from the roof near the emergency room entrance.
Upon arrival, Monroe Fire Department (MFD) crews found smoke from an air handler on the hospital roof. Firefighters quickly accessed the roof using a ground ladder and extinguished the remaining fire with a hose line.
While the fire was extinguished, additional firefighters assisted hospital staff in evacuating patients from the emergency room. Smoke had entered the building through the HVAC system before it was shut down. Positive pressure fans were deployed throughout the hospital to ventilate the smoke.
Fire damage was contained to the air handler, with minor water damage to ceiling tiles in the emergency room area directly below. Several patients from the emergency room were transported via MFD and IU Health Lifeline ambulances to IU Health Hospital Bloomington for continued care. Hospital staff also relocated several patients to their annex and nearby doctor’s offices across the street until the hospital was cleared.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and hospital staff successfully evacuated all personnel and patients. The fire was determined to have been caused by workers welding on the air handler.
The Ellettsville Fire Department and IU Health Lifeline Ambulance Service assisted MFD at the scene. Responding units included Engines 22, 29, 81, 21, 39, Ladder 21, Ambulance 22, Battalion Chief 22, Chiefs 20, 23, 28, and the MFD Fire Marshal.
Photos of the incident were provided courtesy of Ellettsville Fire Department photographer Calvin Poole.
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