A Wednesday morning fire in the Delachaise parking garage across from Touro Infirmary sent staff scrambling to evacuate the Buckman Health Center while firefighters moved in to contain the flames. Crews from the New Orleans Fire Department quickly got the blaze under control and stayed on scene as hospital teams cleared the clinic. Touro reported no injuries and said every patient, staff member and visitor is safe. Hospital officials added that they are assessing operations while crews continue to monitor the structure.
What officials say
According to WDSU, Touro said the fire started inside the Delachaise parking garage directly across from the main hospital. In a statement to the station, the hospital said the fire was contained and that "NOFD remains on site to monitor the situation." Touro explained that evacuating the Buckman Health Center at 3434 Prytania St. was a precaution taken out of an abundance of caution.
Where it happened
The Buckman Health Center sits at 3434 Prytania St., on Touro's Uptown medical campus. Visitor information and hospital maps show that the Delachaise Street parking garage connects to the main hospital by a third-floor walkway, putting the garage immediately next to clinical space, according to LCMC Health. That proximity helps explain why staff moved quickly to clear the clinic while firefighters focused on the garage.
Emergency response
Fire crews contained the blaze and remained in place to monitor the parking structure as the department assessed its condition, WDSU reports. Touro publicly thanked the New Orleans Fire Department for its rapid response and again emphasized that no injuries were reported. Hospital officials said they plan to share more updates as information becomes available.
Why it matters
Touro has dealt with at least one major fire incident recently: a two-alarm blaze in November 2025 led to a full evacuation, a large NOFD response and patient transfers, with no injuries reported, according to a two-alarm blaze in November 2025. Repeated evacuations highlight how challenging it can be to keep operations running smoothly when parking structures and hospital buildings sit so close together on older medical campuses.
Touro has asked patients with upcoming appointments to confirm plans with their providers and said it is grateful for firefighters' work. The hospital said it will share additional updates when they are available.
