One person rushed to hospital after mercury spill
A mercury spill early Wednesday morning at a Garden City fire station has lead to at least one person being rushed to St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise –- and the hospital’s emergency room being cordoned off.
The incident happened about 7:20 a.m., at the fire station on 38th Street and Chinden Blvd.
Boise Fire Department spokesman Charles McClure said, “Boise Fire personnel at Station 18 assisted an adult male, who walked in to the facility with an unknown medical complaint, this morning. The station is primarily used as a training facility. During the examination of the adult male, he became combative with emergency personnel. During the scuffle, a blood pressure gauge was broken, releasing a small amount of mercury.”
Given the nature of the emergency, “… as a precautionary measure, the regular entrance to the emergency room area has been cordoned off,” said hospital spokeswoman Elizabeth Duncan. “There is no contamination threat, but we are letting ER patients into another entrance, just to be safe.”
As of 11 a.m., a HAZMAT team was still on the scene at the fire station.
No other injuries were immediately reported.
We will bring you more details as they develop.
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