Home / Crime and Justice / Disgruntled Patient Allegedly Sabotages Perth Hospital, Causing Sewage Flood
Disgruntled Patient Allegedly Sabotages Perth Hospital, Causing Sewage Flood
13 Nov
Summary
- Sewage spill flooded emergency department at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
- Allegedly caused by a disgruntled patient stuffing items down toilets
- Forced evacuation of emergency department, but hospital avoided ambulance ramping
On Tuesday, a sewage spill flooded the emergency department of Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth, Western Australia, in what authorities suspect was an act of sabotage by a disgruntled patient. According to reports, the patient allegedly stuffed cups, towels, sanitary pads, and a T-shirt down the toilets, causing a blockage that led to the pipe bursting.
The incident forced the hospital to evacuate a number of emergency department bays and transfer patients to other wards as the cleanup continued into Wednesday afternoon. Despite the disruption, the hospital was able to keep treating new patients and avoid ambulance ramping.
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital was not the only medical facility dealing with internal issues that night. Joondalup Health Campus also faced a lengthy power outage, requiring staff to activate contingency power plans. However, the power outage did not affect emergency services or critical care operations.
