Emergency services responded to a hazardous chemical leak at Flinders Medical Centre in Adelaide, Australia, early Thursday morning, leading to the closure of a dozen emergency beds. Eleven staff members reported feeling unwell after accidental exposure to an outdoor insect repellent, with one individual in serious but stable condition.
Two other staff members received treatment in the emergency department. No patients were affected by the incident. The leak occurred around 2 a.m. when hospital staff, while checking a patient's belongings for safety risks, inadvertently knocked the lid off a container of mosquito repellent, causing it to release.
Specialist crews were called to the scene and spent several hours cleaning the affected area. The hospital's chief executive, Robyn Lawrence, stated that the staff primarily experienced respiratory symptoms. It remains unclear when the affected beds, which constitute 20% of the emergency department's capacity, will be reopened. Atmospheric tests must be cleared before the hospital can return to full capacity.