Police, nurse, security officer exposed to unknown substance smuggled into Elliot Hospital
MANCHESTER, N.H. Nov 17 2017 – Manchester, New Hampshire police are investigating a hazmat situation at Elliot Hospital.
On Thursday morning, police arrested 26-year-old Theodore Macenas on a domestic violence charge. Police found 12 diazepam pills in his pocket and say he appeared to be on drugs when he was arrested. He requested medical treatment and was taken to Elliot Hospital.
Macenas was taken to the bathroom around 9:30 a.m. and an officer waiting for him outside of the bathroom heard the rustle of plastic. Macenas had allegedly smuggled a white powder substance into the hospital in his rectal cavity and then tried to swallow the substance while in the bathroom.
The officer struggled with him to take control of the substance, but the bag ripped, exposing the substance to the bathroom and the outside hallway.
Six people; two officers, one security officer, one doctor, one nurse, and one nursing student, fell ill. They complained of feeling foggy, nauseous, with rapid heartbeat and high blood pressure. None had to be treated and are feeling better now, according to Susanna Fier, the VP of Public Affairs.
Manchester Firefighters were called in to decontaminate the area.
Police now say this all started when the suspect, Theodore Macenas, was arrested early this morning for domestic violence, and then requested medical treatment @boston25
The substance was taken to the New Hampshire State Laboratory for testing.
Fier tells Boston 25 News the situation is well controlled and they are waiting to hear what the powder was.
There were no evacuations of the emergency department and no hospital operations were disrupted.
Police say Macenas was charged with the original domestic assault and possession of a controlled drug, and was also charged with falsifying physical evidence and three counts of possession of a controlled drug from the incident at the hospital. No bail or court information was available.
FOX News
