Gardaí in Waterford are investigating a hoax call which caused major disruption to patients and staff at Waterford Regional Hospital yesterday.An anonymous caller rang the South Eastern Health Board headquarters at 10. 15 a.m. to say that an incendiary device had been placed in the hospital.
The hospital and gardaí decided to partially evacuate the hospital and all outpatients and mobile patients were asked to leave. There were 522 in-patients and a few hundred outpatients in the hospital at the time.
Local Fine Gael Senator, Mr Maurice Cummins was among the patients. He had been admitted to the hospital last Friday with multiple fractures to his left ankle. He said the hoax call was "a cowardly act which caused mayhem and suffering to the old, frail and seriously ill".
"Hitting at a hospital such as this, at the very busiest time of the day, was unbelievable. Why would anyone want to put the lives of the sick at risk in such a manner?"
Mr Roger Mulcahy, an elderly patient from Kilmeaden, Co Waterford was also sheltering in the car-park. "We were asked to leave," he said. "No one was allowed in the lifts, we all had to go down the stairs. One patient beside me was going down for an ultra sound but that was cancelled straight away."
Two new mothers took shelter in a car. Ms Lisa Fox with Kym - born two days ago - and Ms Caroline Treacy, cuddling the even younger baby Aidan, were anxious to keep their babies warm.
Fire authorities, gardaí and hospital staff spent two hours systematically searching the hospital but found nothing.
The all-clear was given after 1 p.m., said Ms Audrey Lambourn, SEHB spokeswoman. Mr Pat McLoughlin, chief executive of the SEHB said the hoax call had been distressing for staff, patients and relatives.
The hospital quickly returned to normal yesterday afternoon, with missed outpatient appointments being rescheduled.