CareOne Evacuates About 180 Residents From Lexington Nursing Home

About 180 residents were evacuated from the CareOne nursing home in Lexington on the evening of October 24 after officials found recurring electrical problems they said created health and safety risks, according to the Boston Globe.

The electrical issues began earlier in the week, Lexington Town Manager Steve Bartha told the Globe in an email. Eversource, which supplies power to the building, and local fire inspectors had been working on the problem before it returned on October 24, triggering the facility's evacuation plan.

Lexington Fire Chief Derek Sencabaugh told WHDH that several utilities, including the sewer system, are connected to the electrical system, and that officials had "ordered the building to be de-energized" until the cause is identified. Many residents were picked up by friends or relatives, while others arranged housing on their own, the station reported.

In a statement on October 25, Tara Verge, vice president of operations at CareOne, said residents were moved to other facilities with full power and that staff would accompany them and provide medical support during the relocation. She said the company was working with local authorities and utility providers.

CareOne, which offers short- and long-term senior care at 178 Lowell Street, operates in five states and has 17 locations in Massachusetts, including Beverly, Brookline, Concord, Holyoke, Lowell, New Bedford, Newton and Peabody.

This story was first reported by The Boston Globe.