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Patients redirected as water leak shuts down Edmonton hospital’s emergency room

EDMONTON — Ambulances are being redirected to other hospitals after a water leak damaged the emergency department at Edmonton’s Misericordia Community Hospital.
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EDMONTON — Ambulances are being redirected to other hospitals after a water leak damaged the emergency department at Edmonton’s Misericordia Community Hospital.

Alberta Health Services said in a release that the emergency department is closed until at least Wednesday morning for repairs and follow-up checks to ensure patient safety.

Officials with Covenant Health, which runs the hospital, said the leak happened around 3 p.m. Sunday.

“It was a valve in a toilet in the bathroom of the (emergency department) that failed, resulting in water coming up and out of the toilet and flooding the floor,” said spokeswoman Fran Ross.

She said the leak, which was on a high-pressure line, was contained within 45 minutes and cleanup began immediately.

Ross said 16 patients who were in the emergency department were relocated within the facility.

Some staff remain in the emergency department to assess walk-in patients who are unaware of the closure.

Alberta Health Services said steps have been taken to ensure other emergency rooms in Edmonton are prepared for increased demand during the Misericordia shutdown.