Clinic in Moorhead shut down by odor

Sewer gas has shut down Moorhead's MeritCare Clinic, city and clinic officials said.

MeritCare said it's working to correct the problem to reopen Tuesday.

Leaking coolant from the clinic's water system apparently fed microbes in the soil that produced hydrogen sulfide, a component of sewer gas, forcing the clinic to close Wednesday, said Tim Vangerud, MeritCare's director of safety and security.

MeritCare officials think water in the clinic's sump pump system soaked up the gas, with odor from the "foul-smelling water" spreading through the building, he said Thursday.

Sewer gas has a smell similar to rotten eggs.

Clinic employees began complaining about odors several weeks ago but no employees called in sick or filed a formal complaint, Vangerud said.

The odor became much worse earlier this week, apparently as a result of higher temperatures, Vangerud said, and MeritCare called the Moorhead Fire Department

Rich Dyson, Moorhead fire marshal, said his department was notified shortly before 11 a.m. Wednesday.

The department's investigation found elevated readings of hydrogen sulfide near the sump pump and MeritCare officials chose to close the clinic, Dyson said.

He said he saw no evidence that hydrogen sulfide levels in the building were dangerous.

Exposure to low levels of hydrogen sulfide can irritate eyes and cause headaches, while exposure to very high concentrations can lead to loss of consciousness and death, according to the emedicine.com Web site.

People often notice even extremely low levels of sewer gas, Vangerud said, and MeritCare wanted to be "pro-active" in responding to the problem.

On Thursday MeritCare replaced coolant-contaminated soil at the clinic with fresh soil.

MeritCare also plans to chlorinate water in the clinic's sump pump system, he said.

Officials hope those steps will remedy the problem, but MeritCare will continue to monitor conditions, he said.

The clinic normally is closed Saturday and Sunday and would have been closed Monday because of the Fourth of July holiday, said Carrie Johnson, a MeritCare spokeswoman.

The clinic employs 40 to 50 people and most are working temporarily in other MeritCare locations in Fargo-Moorhead, while some were sent home, she said.

MeritCare has tried to contact all patients with appointments at the Moorhead clinic, 1301 8th St. S., Vangerud said.

Some patients are rescheduling, while others will see doctors at other MeritCare locations, Johnson said.

The Moorhead clinic has three main areas of focus: family medicine, internal medicine and psychiatry.

Until the Moorhead clinic reopens, internal medicine patients can go to MeritCare's downtown Fargo location, Johnson said.

Moorhead clinic family practice patients can go to the Island Park or north Fargo locations.

Psychiatric patients will be seen at MeritCare's South University site.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Jonathan Knutson at (701) 241-5530