Woman, 42, in Custody for ‘Deliberate Sabotage’ After Cutting Gas Mains at Two Sydney Hospitals, Leaving Patients’ Lives in Jeopardy
- A 42-year-old woman is in police custody after allegedly cutting gas mains at Sutherland Hospital and a private hospital in Sydney’s south.
- The ‘deliberate sabotage’ could have had catastrophic consequences, with patients’ lives put at risk, according to NSW Health Minister Ryan Park.
- No charges have been laid, but the woman is being questioned by police, who are investigating the motives behind the shocking incident.
A woman is facing serious charges after allegedly carrying out a brazen act of sabotage at two Sydney hospitals, sparking widespread outrage and concern for patient safety.
According to NSW Police, the 42-year-old woman allegedly entered the grounds of Sutherland Hospital in Caringbah around 12:20am and cut both the water and gas mains, before activating the fire hoses. In a shocking twist, the woman then allegedly entered a private hospital on the same street and switched off the gas supply.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park described the incident as ‘deliberate sabotage’, saying it could have had devastating consequences for patients. ‘To do this is beyond serious. It could have been catastrophic,’ he said. ‘To do this in any way, shape or form is to put the lives of some very seriously ill people at risk in a hospital. It’s not a joke.’
The minister revealed that the public hospital had to rely on portable oxygen and air as part of its contingency plans, while a spokesperson from Kareena Private Hospital said all hospital services were quickly restored and it was operating ‘as normal’ with no impact to patients.
The woman, who was arrested at nearby Miranda for alleged breach of bail, was taken to Sutherland Police Station for questioning. Police have not revealed whether she had a connection to the hospital or what motivated her actions.
NSW Health has launched an investigation into the incident, with Minister Park vowing to review the security measures in place to prevent such incidents in the future. ‘Access to gas systems in NSW public hospitals is restricted,’ he said. ‘We will review the incident to see what improvements can be implemented.’
As the investigation continues, the community is left reeling from the shocking incident, which has raised serious concerns about the safety and security of patients in hospitals.