Toxic Fumes from Patient Close FL Emergency Room

MARGATE, Fla. (AP) _ Authorities say fumes from a man who ingested a pesticide shut down a South Florida emergency room and put an ambulance out of service for hours.

Dan Booker of the Margate Fire Department tells the Sun Sentinel (http://sunsent.nl/H1UDFC ) that three paramedics found the man lying in the grass early Sunday.

Booker says the paramedics became dizzy and nauseous and suffered headaches after the man vomited in the ambulance.

Booker says fumes from the man prompted Northwest Medical Center officials to close the emergency room and move him to another floor.

State and local authorities reopened the emergency room later Sunday morning after workers in protective suits spent hours scrubbing down hospital equipment and the emergency vehicle.

The man’s name was not released. Authorities said he remained hospitalized in stable condition.