'Disgruntled Patient' Causes Disturbance at Mercy Suburban

Patch received reports of police and firefighters responding to Mercy Suburban Hospital in East Norriton just before 5 p.m. Thursday evening for an unspecified disturbance on the hospital's second floor. 

East Norriton Fire Marshal Frank Ludwig told Patch via Facebook that a "disgruntled patient" became combative with staff, discharging a fire extinguisher and using a piece of wood broken from a hospital window as weapon.

According to Ludwig, East Norriton Police were able to subdue the unidentified patient and transfer him to another section of the hospital. Firefighters then worked to contain and clean the anhydrous sulfur dioxide (or "ansul") that had discharged from the extinguisher and spread across the second floor, into the stairwell and to floors above and below.

According to The Times Herald, six patients were evacuated from the wing as a result of the incident, but no injuries have been reported. Patients exposed to the ansul are be monitored for any reaction to the chemicals.

It is unknown if any charges will be filed in the incident, but Ludwig told the Herald that hospital staff has had "numerous run-ins" with the patient.