Chlorine gas leak forces staff evacuation at St Vincent’s

Eight sent to emergency department after accidental emission at Carew House day centre

Eight members of staff at Carew House, a day centre for elderly patients on the St Vincent’s Hospital campus,  were brought to the hospital’s emergency department following an  emission of chlorine gas. File photograph: Dave Meehan/The Irish Times
Eight members of staff at Carew House, a day centre for elderly patients on the St Vincent’s Hospital campus, were brought to the hospital’s emergency department following an emission of chlorine gas. File photograph: Dave Meehan/The Irish Times

An accidental gas leak forced the evacuation of a number of staff at St Vincent’s hospital in Dublin for a number of hours.

Eight members of staff were brought to the hospital’s emergency department following the emission of chlorine gas in Carew House, a day centre for elderly patients on the St Vincent’s campus.

The staff were examined as a precautionary measure, according to a spokesman, and none was found to be suffering any adverse reaction. They have since been discharged.

Contractor repairs

The incident occurred when a contractor was repairing the water management system in the building. During the mixing of some chemicals a small quantity of chlorine gas was formed. The fire alarm activated and the building was evacuated.

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The spokesman says normal activities in Carew House have resumed. No patients were in the centre at the time of the leak.

Paul Cullen

Paul Cullen

Paul Cullen is a former heath editor of The Irish Times.