NEWS INFORMATION FROM |
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THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED |
FOR IMMEDIATE USE |
100 BLOCK OF CHESTNUT ST. TO CLOSE FOR HELICOPTER REPAIR ON HBG. HOSPMayor Stephen R. Reed this afternoon said that the 100 block of Chestnut Street will be closed to traffic beginning at 2 p.m. this afternoon to allow for the construction of a crane involved in work on a helicopter stuck atop Harrisburg Hospital. Reed said the aircraft has a mechanical problem preventing its liftoff from the hospital’s rooftop helipad, meaning that the vital access point for airlifted patients is shutdown until the craft can be repaired or removed. The crane being constructed on Chestnut Street may be used to lift it from the roof if it cannot be repaired and flown away. Work must be done during daylight hours and crews are attempting to conduct the repair and removal effort before this evening’s rains begin. The Mayor said the helicopter, owned by StatMedevac and operated by C.J. Systems Aviation Group, both of Pittsburgh, delivered a patient to the hospital last night and had planned on going to Capital City Airport for refueling when a mechanical problem developed as it was attempting to lift off. For safety’s sake the pilot left the craft on top of the hospital so that repairs can be made by crews coming from Western Pennsylvania. If mechanics are unable to get the craft repaired on-site it will have to be trucked to a repair facility. The rotors will be removed and the crane will lift the craft down to a waiting flatbed tractor trailer staged on Chestnut Street. Reed said the work is expected to last into the early evening hours, after which Chestnut Street will be reopened. Access to Chestnut Street from the Market Square Garage will be closed, with parkers instead directed to the S. 2nd Street exit from the Garage. The Emergency Room entrance to Harrisburg Hospital will also be closed to all but emergency vehicles during the repair effort. |
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