A fire broke out in an administrative section of a hospital in Michigan City on Wednesday morning.

Because of the fire, there could be a disruption in services at Franciscan Health Michigan City, which is located just outside Michigan City.

The damage wasn’t enough to close the hospital in the area of U.S. 421 and Interstate 94.

“We ask for patience and understanding as some outpatient appointments or procedures may be rescheduled or transferred to other Franciscan locations as we continue to assess the situation and clean up,” said Dean Mazzoni, President and CEO of Franciscan Health Michigan City.

Just after 4 a.m. CST, Michigan City firefighters were first to arrive and later assisted by members of the Coolspring Township Volunteer Fire Department.

Coolspring Township Assistant Fire Chief Warren Smith said the fire was out in about 10 to 15 minutes with help from an automatic overhead sprinkler system.

Smith said a desk with a surface made of wood caught fire in an office on the 5th floor on the east side of the building.

Mazzoni said that area of the hospital is an administrative area of the outpatient tower.

The flames spread to other furnishings like a metal filing cabinet and chair.

Smith said extinguishers were used to put out the flames but not until water gushing from the sprinkler heads ran down to the fourth and third floors where some of the ceiling tiles absorbing the moisture were sagging

“Those sprinklers can put out a lot of water,” he said.

Mazzoni described the smoke and water damage to the outpatient tower as “significant.”

No structure damage was reported.

Smith said the cause of the fire is not yet known but it could be electrical since there were computers and other electrical devices on and near the desk.

Despite the hospital being outside the city limits in Coolspring Township, Michigan City firefighters also respond to calls from the hospital since they can get there quicker from being a full-time, constantly manned department, according to Smith

Smith said the faster response made a difference in limiting the damage.

“They’re probably there 15 minutes before we can get there,” he said.

Mazzoni said no patients were injured or evacuated as a result of the fire.