The Real News Louisiana

NATCHITOCHES, LA – On Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at approximately 5:34 p.m., Natchitoches Regional Medical Center’s fire alarm systems activated, identifying smoke on the east side of the hospital’s second and third floors. Shortly thereafter, fire was visible on the exterior of the building near the Emergency Department roof, an area currently undergoing roofing reconstruction. At no time was there active fire inside the building.

All patients and staff were safely evacuated from the second and third floors without incident. At no time were any patients or staff in harm’s way throughout the event.

At 7:15 p.m., the State Fire Marshal (SFM) arrived on site to join inspectors from the Natchitoches City Fire Department and begin their safety and fire investigation. Fire suppression engineers reactivated the hospital’s sprinkler system and retested all fire alarm systems under the supervision of the SFM.

At 9:45 p.m., the State Fire Marshal gave approval for the hospital to safely reenter the building. As an added precaution, all elective surgeries scheduled for Wednesday, October 15, 2025, have been postponed. Elective and outpatient activities are expected to return to full operations within the next 48 hours.

NRMC’s safety and alarm systems functioned as designed, promptly notifying hospital personnel and the fire department. The first fire department team arrived on site within four minutes. All hospital personnel on duty responded quickly and calmly, ensuring patient safety at all times.

“As an organization, we continuously practice safety drills and staff training throughout the year to prepare for any type of disaster,” said NRMC leadership. “The NRMC team reacted to the situation this evening exactly as they were trained—swiftly, professionally, and with a focus on patient safety.”

NRMC extends its sincere appreciation to Chief Wynn and the Natchitoches Fire Department, the Natchitoches Police Department, and the State Fire Marshal’s Office for their immediate and ongoing support.