Tennova patient set fire to his clothing Thursday morning

Tennova Physicians Regional Medical Center
Tennova Physicians Regional Medical Center

A patient set fire to his clothing and bedding in a room in the emergency department at Tennova Healthcare in Cleveland early Thursday morning, setting off the sprinkler system, according to the fire department.

The incident happened around 3:30 a.m., according to Cleveland Fire Marshall Ben Atchley.

He said a patient suffering from psychiatric issues used a lighter to set fire to his clothing and bedding. The sprinker system activated, and emergency room staffers and security personnel used a dry fire extinguisher to put out the flames.

No one was injured in the fire, but there was "quite a bit of smoke and a bit of a cleanup today," Atchley said.

He credited quick action by security and hospital personnel with preventing the flames from spreading.

The hospital closed a section of the emergency department, Atchley said, but the overall unit remained open and is accepting patients.

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