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Suspicious bag prompts partial CHC evacuation
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Posted on Apr 28 2008
A black leather briefcase that sat on a bench in front of the Commonwealth Health Center’s Gift Shop caused the evacuation of a portion of the Commonwealth Health Center building yesterday afternoon.
It was later found that the bag contained hearing test equipment, accidentally left behind by a CHC audiologist.
According to Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez, the briefcase had been sitting unattended for quite some time, prompting DPH deputy secretary for hospital administration Joe Santos to call the police to secure the area until it was determined what the bag contained.
Dozens of CHC medical staff and personnel waited outside the hospital for at least 50 minutes while emergency services personnel secured the area.
“As it turned out, the audiologist forgot her briefcase that contained hearing test equipment,” Villagomez said.
The briefcase, which belonged to CNMI audiologist Dr. Angie Mister, contained an audiometer, which is a machine used for evaluating hearing loss.
A similar incident happened late January when a military duffel bag belonging to an outpatient was unintentionally left behind outside the entrance doors leading to the pharmacy located on the second floor of the CHC building.
This incident caused people in the emergency room, pharmacy, adjoining offices and second floor parking lot to evacuate the area.
According to Department of Public Safety spokesperson Lei Ogumoro, investigation revealed that an outpatient had unintentionally left behind his duffel bag Monday night at the entrance of the building before leaving the hospital.
