There were some tense moments at Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center Tuesday morning after an incident involving a medical helicopter.
Tuesday morning at approximately 11:00, a small fire broke out on an Air Methods medical helicopter as it sat on the helipad waiting to airlift a patient.
The Leitchfield Fire and Police Departments and EMS responded, with LFD Chief Tim Duvall telling K105 that the fire was related to the copter’s “fuel system.” The fire began during the copter’s “start-up” stage.
An Air Methods helicopter out of Corydon, Indiana, was summoned to transport the patient. Leitchfield fire personnel briefly blocked the William Thomason Byway in both directions to allow the copter to land.
EMS transported the patient from the hospital to the helicopter.
A person familiar with the incident said the patient was not negatively impacted by the delay, as the person was stable and closely monitored by hospital staff.
The damaged helicopter, which flies out of Elizabethtown, was repaired and left hospital grounds Tuesday afternoon.
(Photo: Police, fire and medical personnel at the site of a helicopter fire at Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
