A 42-year-old woman has been arrested after gas mains at two south Sydney hospitals were cut overnight in what the state’s Health Minister is calling an alleged act of “deliberate sabotage”.
NSW Police say officers attached to Sutherland Shire Police Area Command received a report of alleged vandalism at Sutherland Hospital and Kareena Private Hospital at around 4.20am today.
Police attended and were told a woman had entered the grounds of a hospital on Kareena Road, Caringbah, shortly after midnight and allegedly cut both the water and gas mains, before activating fire hoses.
“About 1.30am, the woman entered the grounds of another hospital on Kareena Road, Caringbah, and allegedly switched off the gas main,” NSW Police said in a statement.
Just before 4am, officers arrested the woman on Parkside Ave, Miranda, for breach of bail.
In a statement, NSW Minister for Health, Ryan Park was scathing of the woman’s alleged actions.
“The cause of the loss of gases is alleged to be deliberate sabotage,” he said.
“I want to assure the community there was no impact to patient care and that the system has returned to operating as per normal.
“Access to gas systems in NSW public hospitals is restricted. We will review the incident to see what improvements can be implemented.”
Following inquiries and a review of CCTV, police will allege the 42-year-old woman was the same person who attended the two hospitals.
The woman has since been charged with two counts of public nuisance, two counts of enter prescribed premises of any person without lawful excuse, sabotage, destroy or damage property and breach of bail.
She was also charged with tamper with fire alarm or fire signalling apparatus, trespass on protected premises in relation to an alleged incident at a Darlinghurst hostel yesterday on Monday.
The Sutherland woman was refused bail to appear before Sutherland Local Court today (29 October).
