More than 100 residents of CareOne at Lexington, a nursing and rehabilitation center on Lowell Street, were evacuated Saturday night, October 24, 2026, after a major power failure, Lexington fire officials said. WCVB put the number at upwards of 130. Most residents were taken to other nursing facilities, not hospitals, for the night, and the timeline for their return is uncertain. WCVB, NBC10 Boston, Boston 25 News and 7News reported the evacuation.
Here is what happened, and what federal rules say nursing homes must have in place for a power failure and for moving residents out in an emergency.
What happened
- Days of outages. The building had been having power problems “on and off again” for several days before the major failure Saturday evening, Lexington Fire Chief Derek Sencabaugh said, according to Boston 25. WCVB also reported power failures over the previous few days.
- The building was shut down. The fire department ordered the building de-energized while crews work out what is causing the problem. “Everything else is tied into it… the sewer system tied into the electricity,” Sencabaugh said, as reported by 7News.
- Where residents went. Dozens of ambulance services, some from as far as North Andover and Gloucester, took residents to neighboring nursing facilities, WCVB reported. A couple of residents who needed acute care went to a hospital as a precaution, and some families picked up relatives. Sencabaugh told Boston 25 that the transfers were coordinated through a mutual aid arrangement among nursing centers he called “MassMap,” and that some residents went to other CareOne facilities in the state.
- An injured worker. A maintenance worker was shocked while trying to restore power and taken to a hospital; he is expected to be okay, WCVB and NBC10 reported.
- Agencies on scene. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, the state Department of Public Health, the Lexington health department and the Department of Fire Services responded, according to WCVB.
CareOne said in a statement that “a street-level power failure impacted our facility” and that residents were relocated “to other facilities equipped with full power and the resources necessary to support uninterrupted care,” with CareOne staff accompanying them, according to WCVB and 7News. The cause has not been publicly determined.
What federal rules require for a power failure
Nursing homes that participate in Medicare or Medicaid must meet federal emergency preparedness rules at 42 C.F.R. § 483.73. Among other things, a facility’s emergency policies must address:
- Alternate power. “Alternate sources of energy to maintain” temperatures that protect resident health and safety and keep supplies safely stored, emergency lighting, and fire detection, extinguishing and alarm systems.
- Generators. The facility must follow the inspection, testing and maintenance requirements for emergency power systems in national fire and health care facility codes, and a facility with an onsite fuel source must have a plan to keep emergency power running during the emergency, “unless it evacuates.”
- Evacuation. A plan for “safe evacuation,” including the care and treatment needs of evacuees, staff responsibilities, transportation and where residents will go.
- Receiving facilities. “Arrangements with other LTC facilities and other providers to receive residents” if the facility has to limit or stop operations.
- Records. A system of medical documentation that keeps resident information available and confidential.
The policies must be reviewed and updated at least annually. Whether CareOne’s systems and plans met these requirements has not been reported; the state Department of Public Health, which licenses and inspects nursing homes, was on scene.
Residents’ rights when they are moved
Federal rules generally protect a nursing home resident’s right to stay. Under 42 C.F.R. § 483.15(c), a facility must permit each resident to remain unless one of a short list of reasons applies, including that “the health of individuals in the facility would otherwise be endangered.” Most transfers require 30 days’ written notice, but when health or safety is endangered the notice must be given “as soon as practicable.” Families of residents who were moved should ask the facility where their relative is, why, and what its plan and timeline for return are.
If you have a relative who was moved:
- Confirm which facility your relative is in and that medications, records and any equipment such as hearing aids, glasses or dentures went with them.
- Ask CareOne for written confirmation of the plan for return.
- Concerns about care can be reported to the Department of Public Health’s complaint line or to the state Long-Term Care Ombudsman program.
Frequently asked questions
Why was CareOne at Lexington evacuated?
The building had a major power failure on Saturday night, October 24, 2026, after several days of outages. The fire department ordered the building de-energized. CareOne said a street-level power failure affected the facility.
Where did the CareOne Lexington residents go?
Most were moved to other nursing facilities, including other CareOne locations, according to the fire chief. A few went to a hospital as a precaution and some families took relatives home. The timeline for return was uncertain.
Do Massachusetts nursing homes need backup power?
Nursing homes in Medicare or Medicaid must have emergency and standby power systems and plans under 42 C.F.R. § 483.73, including alternate energy to maintain safe temperatures, emergency lighting and fire alarms, and a plan for safe evacuation.
Sources: WCVB, NBC10 Boston, Boston 25 News and 7News (WHDH), October 24 and 25, 2026. 42 C.F.R. §§ 483.73 and 483.15 read at Cornell’s Legal Information Institute. General information, not legal advice.