Patient Sets Himself On Fire In The Hospital

[bloodrayne]

Man Set Fire At Hospital, Critically Injuring Himself, Forcing Evacuations

South Austin Hospital closed to ambulances for part of day.

South Austin, Texas - A patient at South Austin Hospital used a cigarette lighter to set himself on fire Tuesday morning, leaving him critically injured and prompting the evacuation of about 30 patients, authorities said.

The hospital closed its emergency room to ambulances for much of the day — they were diverted to other hospitals — and had to reschedule about 20 elective surgeries when water from the sprinkler system flowed into operating rooms, said Dr. Steve Berkowitz, the hospital's medical director.

More than 50 firefighters responded to a call for backup after a patient set himself on fire Tuesday at South Austin Hospital. Some patients were treated for minor smoke inhalation, authorities said.

The patient, whose name was not released, was burned over 25 percent to 30 percent of his body and was transferred to the hospital's intensive care unit, where he was listed in critical condition.

Other patients in the second-floor wing were transferred to vacant rooms at the hospital or placed temporarily in recovery rooms.

"Literally within minutes, patients were appropriately taken out of that ward," Berkowitz said. "It was a terrific job by the nurses. They instantaneously did what they were supposed to do."

Austin Fire Capt. William Brooks said that firefighters got the call about 8:45 a.m. and that units from a station about a block away arrived one minute later. They found smoke in a second floor hall and immediately called for help. Nearly 60 firefighters in 20 trucks eventually arrived at the scene.

"The sprinkler did its job, and it activated and put out the fire quickly," Brooks said.

Berkowitz said that several patients were treated for minor smoke inhalation and that the hospital sent a couple of employees home because of exhaustion. Twelve of the evacuated patients were on the same wing as the fire, and authorities said the other patients were on the same floor and moved as a precaution.

Preliminary reports indicate that the fire caused at least $250,000 in damage.

Fire Department spokeswoman Michelle DeCrane said authorities have not determined whether they will charge the man with arson and are monitoring his condition.

"As the patient was being transferred to intensive care (after the fire), he told several of our staff that he started the fire," Berkowitz said.

Berkowitz said Tuesday afternoon that the man's condition was deteriorating and that doctors had decided against transferring him to the burn unit of Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.

"Typically burn patients develop multiorgan problems because of the burn," Berkowitz said. "We will do what's best for the patient."

Meanwhile, hospital staff worked to repair water damage. Parts of the hospital had pools of water an inch or two deep; surgery suites on the first floor below the area where the fire broke out were closed for the day after water seeped into them.