Hazmat situation triggered by patient who swallowed toxin resolved at St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor
St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor is in the clear following an incident Monday during which a hazardous materials team checked the air for phosphine gas, which can spontaneously combust when exposed to air.
A Washtenaw County hazmat team was called to the hospital at 10 a.m. Monday after a patient was admitted who swallowed mole poisoning. Ingesting certain poisons, such as rodent poisoning, can cause an individual to breathe toxins into the air, said Marc Breckenridge, sheriff’s office emergency services director.
"The incident has been declared "all clear" at the hospital," spokeswoman Lauren Jones said via e-mail just before 5 p.m.
"The patient remains in isolation," Jones wrote. "The low gas readings are well within safe levels and improving. Hazmat teams have left the hospital; a machine will conduct environmental samples periodically over the next 24 hours to ensure a safe environment for patient care." The Superior Township hospital was never evacuated or shut down. Jones said the situation was isolated to one patient room.
Juliana Keeping covers general assignment and health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at julianakeeping@annarbor.com or 734-623-2528. Follow Juliana Keeping on Twitter
Comments
RJA
Tue, Apr 26, 2011 : 4:06 a.m.
I hope this patient will be OK! My thoughts also go to his family and friends. It's sad, and am glad the hospital got an all clear.
Kirsten Herold
Tue, Apr 26, 2011 : 2:29 a.m.
well, this situation has its amusing aspects (although not for the person involved, of course), but there are some very sick people on that floor who couldn't be with their families all day since the floor was shut down. This is an intensive care unit, and it was hard for people who don't have much time left together to have this happen.
mentalNomad
Tue, Apr 26, 2011 : 12:27 a.m.
There has been a lot of speculation on how this situation happened. Keep in mind that this is a human being who was involved in a tragic situation and probably never wanted to put anyone else in harm's way. My thoughts go out to that person's family and friends.