Saint John police say a 44-year-old man has been arrested after a break-in at St. Joseph’s Hospital early Sunday morning.
In a news release, police said officers responding to reports of windows being damaged on Paddock and Coburg streets got a call of damage at the hospital’s Urgent Care Centre.
“Officers arrived to find a man had damaged several windows, made his way into the Horizon Health facility and caused extensive damage throughout the building,” the force said in a news release late Sunday afternoon.
In a separate release, Horizon Health Network said someone broke the exterior window at the entrance to the Urgent Care Centre around 7:40 a.m. Sunday.
Sprinkler heads were broken, causing water to flow into the fourth floor where it entered into several rooms, including operating rooms, and flowed down the building.
According to the release, the hospital’s patients and staff were not directly involved in the incident.
Security personnel were informed right away through video surveillance and “quickly addressed the incident” and police were on site within three minutes. All video footage is being handed over to assist with the police investigation.
The Urgent Care Centre will remian closed until the glass is replaced and the clean-up is finished. All patients and clients requiring urgent medical care are asked to seek treatment at another hospital.
Every appointment scheduled at the IV Day Hospital has been redirected to the Saint John Regional Hospital.
The impact on scheduled procedures is still being assessed. All patients scheduled for surgery on Monday at St. Joseph’s Hospital are being contacted.
Horizon Health offered thanks to all staff, especially the environmental services staff, who are working to ensure regular services can resume at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Meanwhile, police want to hear from anyone who has information or was in the area of Paddock or Coburg streets early Sunday morning and noticed anything suspicious.
You can contact the Saint John Police Force at (506) 648-3333.
With files from Robert Lothian and Tamara Steele.
