Acid spill in car near Southampton Hospital

Southampton Village police are investigating an incident in which a Bridgehampton man used an acid to create a chemical cloud inside his parked car at Southampton Hospital early Wednesday morning.

Det. Sgt. Herman Lamison said the man, 50, drove his car to the emergency entrance of the hospital at about 3 a.m. and then poured out an acid inside the closed vehicle, creating a cloud of fumes.

Village police responded to an emergency call, and crews, including the Southampton Town hazardous materials team, needed more than four hours to clean up the area.

Lamison said Wednesday afternoon that officials were still trying to determine what type of acid the man used and his motive for the incident.

There were no injuries, either to the man, hospital personnel, cleanup crews or police, Lamison said.

The man was hospitalized for "psychiatric evaluation," Lamison said, but he had no further details.

"We're waiting to interview him," Lamison said.

Hospital spokeswoman Marsha Kenny said the emergency room was open throughout the incident. "There was no damage to the hospital, and we were fully operational," Kenny said.

The emergency entrance was closed and patients were redirected to another entrance, she said.

The emergency entrance was reopened at about 7:30 a.m., Kenny said.

Hospital president and chief executive Bob Chaloner praised the efforts of the North Sea and Southampton Town fire departments, village police and others who responded.

Chaloner said in a statement he was grateful for the assistance of emergency personnel and their efforts to ensure that "everyone remained safe."