At a hospital in Graz

Explosion at Hospital: Patient Smoked in Her Room

In this room, a cigarette caused an explosion.(Bild: Krone-Collage/BHB Graz)

A moment of shock at the Hospital of the Brothers of Mercy in Graz: Early Wednesday morning, an explosion occurred in a room after a 73-year-old patient lit a cigarette while wearing an oxygen mask. The woman suffered burns; no other patients were injured.

Around 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday, a loud bang shattered the nighttime silence at the Hospital of the Brothers of Mercy in Graz. As it turned out, a 73-year-old patient was responsible. The woman had lit a cigarette in her room—even though she was wearing oxygen goggles! Aside from that, smoking is, of course, strictly prohibited in the hospital anyway. 

Unbelievable: The 73-year-old was smoking in her room.(Bild: BHB Graz)

Hospital staff were shaking their heads
According to information from the Barmherzige Brüder, the patient suffered burn injuries in the explosion or deflagration and was transferred to LKH Graz for treatment of her burns after receiving initial care. The fire did not spread further and was confined to the affected room. No other people were injured. 

“The incident posed a significant danger not only to the patient herself, but also to other patients and hospital staff. Unfortunately, dangerous incidents occur time and again in Austria because patients smoke in their rooms despite an explicit smoking ban. I have no understanding for putting patients and staff at risk in this way,” says Dr. Christian Walch, deputy medical director of the Barmherzige Brüder Hospital in Graz.

“Thank God nothing worse happened. I am very surprised that, even after the tragic events in Mödling three years ago, patients are still smoking in their rooms,” says Gerhard Flicker, head of building services.

In 2023, three people lost their lives in a fire at Mödling Hospital. There, too, a patient had lit a cigarette while receiving oxygen therapy.