A hazardous chemical incident at Flinders Medical Centre in Adelaide left 11 staff members unwell after a mosquito repellent was accidentally set off in the emergency department, prompting hospital officials to close a dozen emergency beds and call in specialist fire crews. The closure of these beds, which make up around a fifth of the department's capacity, highlights how a seemingly minor workplace accident can disrupt frontline hospital operations and staffing.

The incident occurred at around 2am on Thursday when workers accidentally triggered an outdoor insect repellent that had been among a patient's belongings, causing staff to experience respiratory symptoms. Of the 11 affected, one remains in a serious but stable condition, while two others received treatment from the emergency department; no patients were harmed. A Metropolitan Fire Service crew spent several hours decontaminating the site, and hospital chief executive Robyn Lawrence confirmed the respiratory nature of the symptoms, though it remains unclear when the affected beds will reopen.