The Jamestown Fire Department’s quick action Saturday at UPMC Chautauqua likely kept a bad situation from getting much, much worse.

Both Mayor Kim Ecklund and Councilman Jeff Russell, R-At Large, commended city firefighters for their handling of an electrical fire over the weekend at the hospital.

Crews responded at 12:23 p.m. to the facility where smoke was showing. Responders then headed to the east elevator penthouse area and located a room that contained the fire. Crews checked the fire room and located electrical components of the elevator system burning. They then used a dry chemical extinguisher to extinguish the fire.

Crews worked to ventilate the area, removing smoke with electrical exhaust fans. Power was shut down to all three east elevators by fire department personnel. Crews coordinated with UPMC Chautauqua staff throughout the incident.

City fire officials noted in a press release, “alarm system … functioned appropriately providing for a rapid response.”

The blaze was ruled accidental and electrical in nature.

“I also want to add, and I didn’t at our meeting, kudos to the fire department for a recent incident that happened at UPMC Hospital,” Russell said. “It sounds like it was an electrical fire. They were able to act quickly and deal with that situation which was awesome to see. It could have been bad, so thank you to the fire department for that.”

Ecklund echoed Russell’s remarks.

“Jeff also mentioned the great work by the fire department at the hospital, so thank you Councilman Russell,” Ecklund said.