Gas leak prompts evacuation of 11 people from Santa Cruz clinic

Eleven people were evacuated from a clinic in Santa Cruz after a gas leak was reported in its operating-room area. The group included hospitalized patients, medical staff and administrative workers.

The Santa Cruz Departmental Health Service, known as Sedes, coordinated the evacuation with firefighters, police and the health emergency coordination center. People were taken to the Caja Petrolera, Caja Nacional de Salud, San Juan de Dios Hospital, UCEBOL Hospital and Elvira Wunderlich Health Center, depending on their medical needs and the assessment required.

Telmo Torrez, head of Sedes' health-facility authorization unit, said inspectors were working to ensure the affected areas were safe and to verify with the fire service that the leak had stopped.

Sedes ordered the areas considered hazardous to patients and workers to remain restricted and secured while technical evaluations continue. Torrez said authorities need to establish the source of the leak and identify the type of gas involved before deciding what corrective measures are required and when the rooms can reopen safely.

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We are carrying out inspections to ensure that the affected areas are completely safe and to verify, together with the fire service, that the leak has stopped.