A suspected gas leak has forced the evacuation of around 80 residents from an aged care facility in Tasmania’s north-west.
Staff at OneCare’s Rubicon Grove facility in Port Sorell reported a strong smell just before the evacuation on Tuesday morning, with a small number of workers reporting feeling nauseous.
OneCare CEO Peter Williams said all residents were successfully evacuated and are safe.
“A small number of staff reported symptoms of nausea. Additional staff have been called in to provide assistance and ensure residents’ care and safety is prioritised,” he said.
“Emergency services have been alerted and are on site investigating the cause of the incident, which has still to be determined.”
Williams said families of patients have been contacted to inform them of the situation and asked relatives and friends to avoid visiting until the situation is resolved.
“Residents have been cleared to return to the facility’s café and activities room,” he said.
Updated 4pm, Tuesday May 28: 15 staff members have been assessed and treated at both the Mersey Community Hospital and North West Regional Hospital after suffering nausea and other symptoms.
OneCare CEO Peter Williams said the facility had reopened following investigations from the Tasmania Fire Service.
“It is obviously extremely distressing when an incident affects the health and wellbeing of staff and OneCare is working with WorkSafe Tasmania to get to the bottom of what has occurred,” he said.
“Thankfully, there do not appear to have been any serious health impacts, and we will continue to support our staff during this period.”
Williams said all residents were safe and well and were settling back into their usual accommodation.
Additional staff have been called in to “ensure resident care and safety was prioritised”.
“I would like to thank OneCare’s hardworking staff, emergency service personnel, friends and family of our residents and the Port Sorell community for all the support we have received as we have worked through this incident,” Williams said.
