Fire at the University of Kentucky’s cancer center affects some medical appointments
Some medical appointments at the University of Kentucky’s Markey Cancer Center are being moved or rescheduled after a small fire broke out in a UK HealthCare building early Wednesday.
The Lexington Fire Department responded to the Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson Cancer Facility around 2:30 a.m. after the fire alarm went off, according to Battalion Chief Jordan Saas. Firefighters didn’t see any flames or smoke from outside the building, but once inside, they found a small fire that had caused sprinklers to go off.
“The fire was quickly extinguished with the use of a water extinguisher,” Saas said.
UK HealthCare officials said the fire started in Comprehensive Breast Care Center, which is inside the Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson Cancer Facility. The Whitney-Hendrickson Building faces Huguelet Drive and is one of four buildings that make up the UK HealthCare cancer center.
The fire caused damage in the breast care center and the sprinklers caused water damage to the first and second floors of the Whitney-Hendrickson Building, according to Kristi Willett, a spokesperson for UK HealthCare.
Some changes are being made to appointments as a result, Willett said.
Mammography imaging and clinic procedures are being rescheduled. Comprehensive Breast Care Clinic appointments scheduled for Wednesday will be moved to the new Hematology-Oncology clinic in the Roach Building. Multi-Disciplinary Clinic appointments scheduled for Wednesday will be moved to the Head, Neck and Respiratory Clinic in the Roach Building.
Chemotherapy infusion, gynecological oncology and integrative health appointments remain on schedule, Willett said.
Firefighters shut down the sprinkler system in the building and ventilated the site to clear out the smoke. No injuries were reported.
This story was originally published May 19, 2021 at 8:28 AM.