Crews demolish old hospital nursing home wing

Great River Medical Center's old nursing home wing, which has been out of use for many years, was recently demolished by county workers.

Mississippi County Hospital System CEO Ralph Beaty said the wing wasn't heated, cooled or hooked up to any fire prevention sprinkler system.

"It hasn't been in any kind of use at all in at least the last five years since I've been here, and we were just storing stuff back there," he said. "But frankly, it was becoming hazardous. I got the idea because the county demolished the old health department building adjacent to the hospital and they did such a good job, we just asked if they could also take care of this for us. The judge agreed, because the county basically owns the hospital and it's a slow time of year for the road department workers."

Beaty said last week's bad weather caused the work to stop, but that it will soon be completed by sealing the old wing off with steel or brick.

County Judge Randy Carney said the project was a "break even" for the county; while the hospital paid nothing for the work, the county was able to salvage some steel and other metals that paid for the cost of the work.

sspears@blythevillecourier.com