A faulty vending machine caused smoke alarms at Lenoir Memorial Hospital to activate this afternoon, putting the facility on Code Red.
Hospital spokeswoman Barbara LaRoque says Code Red meant they would not be able to start any new surgical procedures, but procedures already underway could continue.
Kinston firefighters were called to the hospital and at first they believed the smoke was caused by an elevator. LaRoque says you couldn't smell any smoke, but their detectors are very sensitive and picked up the odor.
The drink machine was on the 5th floor, which is a patient care floor. But LaRoque says the machine was not in a patient care area and no patients were affected by the smoke.
The hospital was on Code Red for between a half hour to an hour this afternoon.
