The Rochester Police Department and fire crews are still piecing together how 69-year-old Mark Morreall of Holley ended up in a heartbreaking and sudden accident inside the multilevel parking structure at Rochester General Hospital (RGH) on Wednesday. What started as a routine parking-garage drive turned tragic when his vehicle struck several parked cars and erupted into flames.
According to the Rochester Police Department, the crash occurred around 11:15 a.m. on the second floor of the Portland Avenue garage. Morreall’s vehicle, for reasons still under investigation, collided with at least six parked cars before coming to rest and catching fire. When fire crews arrived, the car was already fully engulfed. Once the blaze was brought under control, Morreall was found inside the vehicle and pronounced dead.
Firefighters from six companies—24 in total—responded to the incident, according to the Rochester Fire Department. They worked quickly to prevent the fire from spreading to other parts of the garage, successfully limiting the damage even though nine vehicles sustained damage as a result of the crash and ensuing fire.
Investigators say at this time the crash appears to be an accident: there is no indication of criminal activity. One line of inquiry is whether a medical emergency caused Morreall to lose control of the vehicle. Captain George Bello of the Rochester PD’s arson task force stressed they are working to fully understand what happened and to support Mr. Morreall’s family.
Following inspection, structural engineers found the affected section of the garage remains safe, though areas will stay closed while cleanup and further inspections continue. The hospital has asked staff and visitors to use the Carter Street Garage in the meantime to reduce disruption.
For the Rochester community, the news of Morreall’s passing has landed with shock and sorrow—especially given the setting: a medical facility where people go seeking care, not tragedy. Neighbors and friends remember him as a warm and kind-hearted individual, and more than one person described the news as heartbreaking. The fact that he lost his life so unexpectedly, inside a place meant for healing, adds an extra edge of tragedy.
While the investigation continues, the garage remains a bit scarred by the event—physically and emotionally. Clean-up crews are working, hospital officials are coordinating alternate parking, and detectives continue canvassing for any clue of what exactly set the sequence of collisions and fire in motion. Family, friends and the broader Rochester community are now gathering in remembrance of a man taken far too soon, and hoping this kind of accident doesn’t happen again.
