Power Fault at Fortaleza’s César Cals Hospital Triggers Evacuations

Overview

• Fire officials said the incident began in the facility’s power-generation/substation area, producing heavy smoke without damaging clinical care spaces.
• The first call was logged at 10:50 a.m. and the situation was contained by about 11:38 a.m., with no injuries reported.
• Patients, including at least three newborns, were moved out of the building and temporarily sheltered in nearby shops until ambulances arrived, with returns beginning after containment.
• The state health department said more than 50 patients would be transferred as a precaution, organizing an ambulance convoy and traffic restrictions around Avenida Imperador.
• Enel reported an internal defect on the hospital’s network, executed an emergency shutdown, and deployed generators and teams, as forensic experts work to determine the cause and responsibility.