WARWICK, R.I. -- Firefighters responded to smoke caused by power surges at Kent Hospital on Friday and Sunday, hospital and National Grid spokesmen reported Monday.
Kent Hospital spokesman Jim Beardsworth said power surges Friday and Sunday triggred fuses and surge protectors, with smoke resulting. Staff members followed protocol and pulled the fire alarm, Beardsworth said, and the Warwick Fire Department responded.
National Grid spokesman David Graves said Friday's surge was caused by a malfunctioning gauge at the Kent substation. Sunday's surge was because a mylar balloon got tangled up in power lines near the Kent substation. "Those mylar balloons do cause havoc when they get involved in some of our equipment," Graves said.
"There was no impact on patient safety or patient care," Beardsworth said.