JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- No one was injured after a man apparently poured gas in a medical building in Jeffersonville Thursday night.
An employee at the Radiotheraphy Clinics of Kentuckiana at 1322 Spring Street called police just before 8 p.m. Oct. 12.
Jeffersonville Detective Isaac Parker says the employee made the call as he was locking up for the evening.
"When he went to lock the doors he observed a strong smell of gasoline inside of the business," Parker said. "He went into the lobby area to lock the door and observed a white male who appeared to be unconscious win the waiting room area. In the man's lap was a can of gasoline, and in his hand he did have a lighter," says Detective Isaac Parker with Jeffersonville Police.
Police advised the employee to leave the building, when officers arrived, they could see the unconscious man through the window.
"Due to the nature of what he had and the danger of the gasoline and the lighter, officers did not make contact with him immediately," Parker said.
The SWAT team was contacted and during that time police say the man awoke and walked around inside the building before exiting. He was immediately detained and taken to University of Louisville hospital for treatment and evaluation.
As SWAT Team members and fire officials searched the building, they encountered what appeared to be a potential hazmat situation.
"Officers and the fire department exited the business and a perimeter was set up to ensure the safety of the surrounding area and citizens," Parker said. "The officers encountered a situation where it appeared that gasoline had been poured into one of the pieces of equipment that potentially could have been a radiation source."
Police say officials made contact made with the state Emergency Operations Center. The big concern was whether there was active radiation inside the building which would have caused danger to the area.
A physicist and engineer determined that there was no active radiation source inside.
Police say this is still an ongoing investigation, but they do expect to file charges against the man, who has not yet been identified.
Some streets surrounding the hospital area were temporarily closed.
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