For more than 100 people at senior care facilities in Pasadena, Tuesday night, Jan. 7, was chaos as they were evacuated at a moment’s notice as the Eaton fire grew near.
Thick clouds of smoke and embers flying through due to heavy winds surrounded dozens of seniors in wheelchairs and on gurneys as they crowded a parking lot, loading onto fire trucks, ambulances and even public transit buses to evacuate.
The senior care facilities – the Pasadena Park Healthcare and Wellness Center and Terraces at Park Marino – are located along Washington Boulevard and Altadena Drive in Pasadena.
The AltaMed Medical Group burns along Washington Blvd during the Eaton Fire in Pasadena on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
The AltaMed Medical Group burns along Washington Blvd during the Eaton Fire in Pasadena on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
The AltaMed Medical Group burns along Washington Blvd during the Eaton Fire in Pasadena on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Show Caption1 of 3The AltaMed Medical Group burns along Washington Blvd during the Eaton Fire in Pasadena on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
ExpandSome senior residents were picked up by family members and moved to different care facilities in the San Gabriel or Los Angeles area, but the majority were helped by facility staff and the Pasadena police and fire departments to evacuate to the Pasadena Convention Center, officials said.
“Pasadena police were instrumental in evacuating a senior care facility last night,” city spokesperson Lisa Dederian said on Wednesday morning. “I believe it was well over 100 people and they got them transported to the Pasadena Convention Center where we’ve had our public health department nurses assisting with any medical needs.”
The seniors join hundreds more Pasadena and Altadena residents who also evacuated due to the Eaton fire, which has burned 10,600 acres with no containment, fire officials said.
The fast-moving brush fire broke out above Altadena on Tuesday evening, doubling in size overnight, killing two people. It has destroyed more than 100 structures and prompted evacuation orders affecting more than 52,300 residents and nearly 21,000 structures.
In the Pasadena area, the Eaton fire engulfed homes, a synagogue, a McDonald’s restaurant and the AltaMed Medical Group’s local medical center.
“AltaMed Health Services is responding to the devastating news of the Eaton Fire which has destroyed its medical center located at 2661 E. Washington Blvd. in Pasadena,” officials said in a written statement. “At the time of the fire, the health facility had been safely evacuated. Due to evacuation orders, AltaMed hasn’t been able to assess the extent of the damage.”
“Safety remains a top priority for AltaMed and it is directing patients who need health services to its locations that are unaffected by fires,” the statement said. “AltaMed is providing resources for employees who have been impacted by the closure of the facility. Poor air quality, road closures and evacuation orders are still in effect and AltaMed urges the community to follow instructions from public health and safety experts.”
AltaMed has also closed several additional health centers in the Pasadena region for precautionary reasons.
Pasadena’s Huntington Hospital, located at 100 W. California Blvd., remains open to care for patients and to provide emergency care, according to its website. It also made a webpage for community resources related to the Eaton Fire.
“Our hearts are with our employees, patients, families, and friends in the San Gabriel Valley and throughout LA County as we see the impact of these devastating fires and winds,” hospital officials said in a written statement. “We continue to provide safe, compassionate care to our community. We are grateful for the tireless work of the firefighters who are working day and night to protect our community. We will provide additional updates as the situation evolves.”
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