Evacuations after major NYC hospital loses backup power A New York City hospital is moving out more than 200 patients after its backup generator failed when the power was knocked out by a superstorm. Dozens of ambulances lined up outside NYU Tisch Hospital on Monday night as doctors and nurses began the slow process of taking people out. They started with the sickest and youngest, including 20 babies from neonatal intensive care. Some were on respirators operating on battery power. Sandy leaves NYC dark and deluged Hurricane Sandy: More than 2 million already without power NYU Medical Dean Robert Grossman says some of the patients are being treated for cancer and other serious illnesses. He says they have to be carefully carried down staircases. The elevators don't work without power. As CBS 2's Dick Brennan reported, power went down across Manhattan from 39th Street south to the southern tip of the island - a region that includes the hospital. Backup generators were in operation, but started to fail in the 11 p.m. hour, and an evacuation began. An army of 50 to 70 ambulances lined up along 30th Street at First Avenue, where the hospital is located. They lined up all the way up First Avenue around the corner to 30th Street, and backed up. Robert Grossman, Dean Of NYU Medical Center, told CBS 2?s Brennan that "We've had a number of power failures of primary and secondary backup systems." [We're] trying to evacuate our patients from the hospital. Our patients are our main concern right now," Grossman Our patients are our main concern right now," Grossman said. Making things more complicated is the fact there are no elevators in the building and many patients are being carried down stairs. CBS Medical correspondent Dr. John LePook was among those who came to the scene to help. He said 20 babies in the neonatal unit, four of which were on ventilators, were removed from the hospital. 75 Photos Grossman said the patients were being taken to Mt. Sinai, Memorial Sloan-Kettering and the Hospital for Joint Diseases. The hospital appeared still appeared to have very low light, but power was soon to go altogether. In the lobby, stretchers were set up all around, and many people were milling around asking questions for which no one was available to answer.