A Levittown man was arrested after he allegedly set a fire in the emergency room at Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) Friday morning, police said.
According to detectives, Patrick Callahan, 26, was being treated at NUMC just after 2 a.m. when he became agitated and uncooperative. Callahan allegedly took a lighter out of his pocket and set fire to the bed sheets, mattress and gurney he was lying in.
Detectives said that the fire created a smoke condition that was extinguished by hospital staff. Nobody was injured during the incident, police added.
At the time of the fire, there were two patients in the room with Callahan, and 52 other patients, family and staff were present in the emergency room as well.
"We applaud our quick thinking and dedicated employees who were able to extinguish the fire and ensure the safety of our patient, their family members, and our staff," Shelley Lotenberg, a spokesperson for the hospital, said. "Our security division immediately notified the NCPD who came in and arrested him."
Callahan was charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree criminal mischief and fifth-degree arson. Callahan was also found to have an open Nassau County warrant for disorderly conduct issued on June 19. He was arraigned on Friday at First District Court in Hempstead.
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