A massive fire broke out at the Evergreen Court Home for Adults in Spring Valley, NY early Tuesday morning.
The fire forced two dozen residents at the home to be evacuated and taken to another facility, NBC New York reported. (RELATED: Gov. Cuomo’s Order Sent More Than 6,000 Coronavirus Patients Into Nursing Homes, Officials Say)
Two firefighters suffered injuries while battling the fire, but are expected to recover. One resident was killed by the fire.
UPDATE: Rockland County authorities confirm one resident has died and 2 firefighters were injured in the fire at Evergreen Court Adult Home in Spring Valley. Hours later and it’s still not under control #nbc4ny pic.twitter.com/sV9FHtXZlt
— Tracie Strahan (@tstrahan4NY) March 23, 2021
The nursing home’s second floor collapsed during the fire.
Update: These seniors were evacuated about an hour ago from the Evergreen nursing home in Spring Valley, they were taken to to the Golden Acre Rest Home at 11 Prospect Street in Spring Valley.
They are safe and are out of harms way. pic.twitter.com/U2ZSd6AdkC
— Benny Polatseck (@BPolatseck) March 23, 2021
“They are safe and out of harms way,” Benny Polatseck, a witness who helped evacuate residents from the nursing home said in a tweet. Other volunteers with the Chaverim of Rockland also helped to evacuate residents to another facility nearby.
It is not yet known what caused the fire.
Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has faced criticism for a policy that sent COVID-positive patients back to nursing homes. Nearly 10,000 New York nursing home residents died from COVID.