Hazardous chemical leak at major Australian hospital sparks emergency response with 11 staff unwell

By ASHLEY NICKEL, NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 08:25, 23 July 2026 | Updated: 08:27, 23 July 2026 Staff at one of Adelaide's largest public hospitals have become sick after being exposed to an 'outdoor insect repellent'. Flinders Medical Centre closed a dozen emergency beds about 2am on Thursday after the chemical made 11 staff ill, with one in a serious but stable condition. Two other workers were treated by the emergency department. No patients were affected. Specialist crews attended the scene after workers accidentally set off a mosquito repellent, which was in a patient's belongings. A Metropolitan Fire Service crew have spent several hours cleaning the site. It is unclear when the beds, which make up 20 per cent of the emergency department, will be reopened. Chief executive Robyn Lawrence told the ABC staff had suffered 'predominantly respiratory symptoms'.  'My understanding is that it's an outdoor mosquito fogger-type repellent, like a spray, as I understand it,' he said. Flinders Medical Centre (above) closed a dozen emergency beds about 2am on Thursday after a mosquito repellent made staff ill 'Staff, as they do, were going through somebody's belongings to make sure there was nothing in there that was a safety risk to the patient when they were left alone. 'In doing that, the lid was knocked off the repellent and it released itself.' Dr Lawrence said the hospital would no return to full capacity until it cleared atmospheric tests.