FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Those that raced to help during an emergency at a South Florida nursing home that lost its air conditioning after a hurricane took the stand. The man who ran the facility is on trial after the deaths of many residents.
Jorge Carballo was in court Tuesday as the second day of his trial kicked off.
Different paramedics and first responders described the conditions they walked into at the Hollywood Hills nursing home back in 2017. They described the patients having temperatures of 107 degrees and also compared the conditions to a person opening the door of a hot vehicle.
“Up to that point, and since that point, that was the most sick patients I had at one facility at one time,” said Amy Parrielle, a Hollywood Fire Rescue paramedic. “I’ve never had a trend of that many people that sick in one shift from the same place.”
Carballo was in charge when Hurricane Irma hit South Florida in 2017, which caused the power to go out at the facility.
“Got out of the elevator on the second floor, immediately we were hit with a thick cloud of heat, almost like a sauna,” said Sidney Doret, Hollywood Fire Rescue.
Three days later, victims ranging from ages 57 to 99 began to overheat. Some so hot the thermometer couldn’t even read their numbers.
Surveillance video of paramedics evacuating residents was shown in court.
Irma knocked out a transformer that powered the cooling system at the 150-bed, two-story nursing home.
Carballo claimed that they purchased extra food, water and seven days worth of fuel for their generator.
His attorneys argued that Florida Power and Light never returned calls nor did former Florida Gov. Rick Scott when they pleaded for help.
Employees used portable air conditioners to keep patients cool. However, they were installed improperly, and pumped hot air to the facilities’ second floor where 11 of the 12 victims lived.
According to prosecutors, the hospital was right across the street, and Carballo acted with gross and culpable negligence.
Hundreds of patients needed to be evacuated from the facility.
Carballo faces nine counts of manslaughter. The state is expected to call over 70 witnesses.
That facility was closed shortly after the incident.
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