Mon Valley Hospital one of five places to receive bomb threats
Mon Valley Hospital was one of five separate public places in Washington and Allegheny counties that received bomb threats Thursday night.
Officials from the hospital, which is located in Carroll Township, said someone made the threat about 9:30 p.m.
Following hospital policy, staff swept the campus upon receiving the threat. Police and other emergency agencies were called in immediately. A search of the campus revealed no actual bomb.
鈥淧atient care was not affected,鈥� said hospital spokeswoman Alyssa Zenobi.
The threats to the other locations 鈥� St. Clair Hospital in Mt. Lebanon, Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison Township, the Benedum Theater in Pittsburgh and D鈥檚 Six Pack and Dogs, a restaurant-bar in Swissvale 鈥� were reported to Allegheny County 911.
The threats occurred within a 90-minute window starting about 8 p.m.
Allegheny County police said the department was working with 鈥渕unicipal partners鈥� to investigate the threats.
The one against Mon Valley Hospital, was made in a phone call to the institution鈥檚 main operator, Zenobi said.
She said local police and other agencies responded immediately. Patients who were able to be discharged 鈥� those she said were in 鈥渇air鈥� condition 鈥� were.
鈥淲e just kind of sped up their process so they could be in the comforts of their home and not in a stressful situation,鈥� she said. The others remained in their rooms.
Firefighters blocked the driveways, but employees who were arriving for a shift change were let in if they showed identification. Ambulances were diverted to other facilities, and the campus was cleared around 11:30 p.m.
St. Clair spokesman Bob Crytzer said the hospital received a 鈥渘on-specific鈥� threat from an unknown caller about 9 p.m.
鈥淥ut of an abundance of caution and in keeping with established policy, St. Clair Hospital was searched and no explosive devices were found,鈥� Crytzer added. 鈥淪t. Clair worked closely with law enforcement to ensure everyone鈥檚 safety.鈥�
He said the incident didn鈥檛 disrupt patient care, and operations had returned to normal by 11:10 p.m.
Carroll police Chief Paul Brand said the FBI office in Speers was notified and sent someone to Mon Valley Hospital. He said his department is working with the Bureau and with counterparts in Allegheny County to investigate the threat.
Catherine Policicchio, a spokeswoman for the FBI in Pittsburgh, said the agency was 鈥渁ware of the situation and we鈥檙e always helping our partners, and any other information would have to come from them.鈥�