Complete blackout at L.A. hospital prompts evacuation of some patients

A total blackout at White Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles has led to the evacuation of some patients, the L.A. Fire Department says. And firefighters were being forced to carry some down stairs to waiting ambulances because elevators weren’t working.

The LAFD said it was working with White Memorial staff to prioritize the patients who need to be brought to other hospitals.

Patients on ventilators were topping the list, the department said. At first, 11 patients were chosen for evacuation.

It wasn’t clear whether the outage was related to Hilary, the storm that dumped heavy rain on the region Monday.

— This is a developing story. Check back for updates.