Patient rescued from window ledge at Limerick hospital

A man was rescued from a second-storey window ledge at University Hospital Limerick on Sunday night.

The man, aged in his late 70s or early 80s, was found on the ledge outside a hospital ward, shortly after 11pm.

The man was believed to be a patient at the hospital and had walked onto the ledge through a window. It is unclear if the window was open at the time.

Limerick City Fire and Rescue Service were alerted to the hospital at approximately 11.30pm.

Fire fighters, paramedics, hospital staff and gardaí attended the scene, near the hospital’s outpatient department.

“It’s believed the man, a patient, became disorientated on one of the wards and climbed out a window,” said a source.

Firefighters used an aerial ladder to bring the man to safety just before midnight.

“The man was not injured in the incident... It’s unclear if he meant to go out in the ledge, or if he just got disorientated, and so didn’t go back in the window,” said a source.

“He was sitting on the ledge talking to hospital staff when the fire service arrived. They used an aerial appliance to take him down and he came willingly,” the source added.

“He could have been killed. He’s a lucky man,” a source said.

The incident is under review by the HSE.