New video shows the horrific scene inside a Hollywood Florida nursing home after the air conditioner went out during Hurricane Irma, and sweltering temperatures ended up killing eight elderly patients.
The video shows staff using fans to try and cool the patients. One couple is seen in bed as a small fan whirs on the nightstand next to them.
The video also shows a naked woman in a hallway lying on a hospital bed. The 34 second footage was shot by a patient’s daughter on just the second day without power at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills.
Home administrators say they did call Florida Power & Light to report the outage minutes after the air conditioner stopped working. But new information shows staff didn’t call for help until three days after the air conditioner went out and patients started dying.
There is now a criminal investigation into whether anyone should face charges. Meantime, Gov. Rick Scott has announced new rules requiring nursing homes and assisted living facilities to have generators capable of maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures for up to 96 hours after power loss.
Right now, Florida law does not require any significant back up climate control access at nursing homes and assisted living facilities. 145 other patients that survived the ordeal have been moved to other facilities.
