Photo credit: discoverweyburn.com

Services at the Weyburn General Hospital have resumed following an evacuation on Friday afternoon.

The evacuation came down at roughly 11:30 after a suspected gas leak. People in the hospital noted a strong smell and began to feel dizzy and nauseous. After the evacuation was complete, it was determined that it was not a gas leak but a patient who came in contaminated with a crude oil substance.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority said Friday that the investigation would be ongoing and the hospital would remain closed overnight. Patients who were evacuated from the hospital were either discharged or spent the night at care homes and facilities around the City.

The “all-clear” following the investigation was given on Saturday and the emergency department reopened at roughly 2:00 p.m. with normal operations resuming throughout the afternoon.

“I would like to thank our patients, their families, the community of Weyburn, and the many staff and physicians involved in helping us through the past 24 hours,” said Derek Miller, Chief Operating Officer for the Saskatchewan Health Authority in a press release. “The evacuation during this extremely cold weather could not have been done without the care, compassion, and dedication of SHA staff, physicians, and paramedics who acted in the best interests of patient safety at every step.”

Patients who were transferred to other facilities during the evacuation will be transferred back to the hospital throughout the afternoon.

(discoverweyburn.com)