MINOT—Efforts are underway today, Friday, January 26, to repopulate Trinity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital after a water pipe burst on January 20, causing the building to be evacuated.
Facilities Management Vice President Christopher Van Gels says air quality tests conducted throughout the building came back negative, enabling a return to the facility less than a week after it was evacuated.
“Air monitoring tests showed no indication of the presence of any impurities or other factors that would prevent us from moving back to St. Joe’s,” Val Gels said.
The tests, performed by a professional restoration company, were part of a thorough environmental assessment of the building, which also including cleaning and disinfecting.
Patients in Rehabcare and the Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit, as well as staff from various other Trinity Health departments, were impacted by the burst pipe. All were temporarily relocated to the Healthcare Campus and Medical District and other sites.
The affected departments and patient care units will return in stages to St. Joseph’s over the course of today. Van Gels said the cafeteria will resume meal service to patients today and will be open to the public starting January 30.
Trinity Health thanked all who helped respond to the emergency and emphasized its resolve to return to St. Joseph’s is part of Trinity’s committed to support Minot’s downtown area.
