Around 80 residents at an aged care facility in north-west Tasmania had to be evacuated due to a suspected gas leak.
On Tuesday morning, staff at OneCare’s Rubicon Grove facility in Port Sorell noticed a strong odour, with some workers experiencing nausea shortly before the evacuation.
Peter Williams, the CEO of OneCare, told local news that all residents were evacuated safely.
“A few of our staff reported feeling unwell. We have brought in additional personnel to assist and ensure that the care and safety of our residents remain our top priority,” Williams stated.
“Emergency services were promptly notified and are currently on-site investigating the cause, which is yet to be determined.”
Williams also mentioned that families of the residents have been informed and requested that friends and relatives refrain from visiting until the issue is resolved.
“Residents have been allowed to return to the facility’s café and activities room,” he added.
As of 4 pm on Tuesday, 15 staff members have been assessed and treated for nausea and other symptoms at the Mersey Community Hospital and North West Regional Hospital.
Following an investigation by the Tasmania Fire Service, Williams announced that the facility has reopened.
“This incident is undoubtedly distressing, impacting the health and wellbeing of our staff. OneCare is collaborating with WorkSafe Tasmania to ascertain the cause,” he said.
“Fortunately, there appear to be no serious health consequences, and we will continue to support our staff during this time.”
Williams assured that all residents are safe, well, and settling back into their usual accommodations.
Additional staff have been brought in to “ensure resident care and safety remain a priority.”
“I want to express my gratitude to OneCare’s dedicated staff, emergency service personnel, the friends and family of our residents, and the Port Sorell community for their support during this incident,” Williams concluded.
