Ruins of Tornado-Ravaged Hospital to be Demolished

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Hospital officials in Oklahoma say they plan to demolish the Moore Medical Center, which was destroyed in last week’s EF5 tornado.

Demolished autos and extensive damage to the Moore Medical Building show the affect of the EF-5 tornado which hit this area on May 20. George Armstrong/FEMA

Norman Regional Health System CEO David Whitaker says the building isn’t salvageable. The Norman Transcript reports that the Norman Regional Hospital Authority has declared an emergency to allow hospital officials to waive bidding requirements for recovery, salvage and demolition costs.

Whitaker says officials haven’t decided yet whether to build a new community hospital in Moore.

The hospital specialized in cochlear implants. Officials say a young girl who was scheduled for a cochlear implant had the procedure done at a Norman hospital after the implant was recovered from the remains of the Moore Medical Center.