A 27-year-old man is suspected of crashing his car into a hospital in Connecticut and then setting himself on fire with the cans of gasoline in his back seat.
Steven Ellam allegedly drove into the entrance of the emergency room at Middlesex Hospital around 10am Thursday morning, Fox 61 reported.
The bomb squad and state and federal authorities were called to the hospital to help, and Ellam was transported to Bridgeport hospital with serious burn injuries and is in critical condition.
He is currently in critical condition, Middletown Mayor Dan Drew told the news station.
Steven Ellam is suspected of crashing his car into a hospital in Connecticut and then setting himself on fire with the cans of gasoline in his back seat
A video of the incident taken by Monique Santos shows the entrance to the hospital enveloped in smoke and a car smashed into the front doors
A video of the incident taken by Monique Santos shows the entrance to the hospital enveloped in smoke and a car smashed into the front doors.
Mayor Drew said the act was intentional, but did not offer any speculation into what Ellam’s motives might be.
However, he did say he doesn’t believe there is an active threat to the community, and that authorities believe it is an isolated incident. He said no threat was made to the hospital ahead of the incident.
Immediately after the crash emergency responders evacuated roughly 30 patients and 20 staff members at the emergency room.
All patients and staff at Middlesex Hospital are safe and accounted for.
‘The bomb squads were there. But that was out of an abundance of caution, not because we had any information that anything was wired or connected,’ Drew explained.
‘In a situation like this, it’s incumbent on us to make sure every contingency is explored.’
Police quickly roped off Ellam’s home on Millardo Lane in Middleton as the investigation continued. Several homes in the area were evacuated as a precaution.
Mayor Drew said the act was intentional, but did not offer any speculation into what Ellam’s motives might be
Immediately after the crash emergency responders evacuated roughly 30 patients and 20 staff members at the emergency room. Ellam was also taken to a neighboring hospital and is in serious condition
Police quickly roped off Ellam’s home on Millardo Lane in Middleton as the investigation continued. Several homes in the area were evacuated as a precaution
Two bomb-sniffing dogs were brought to his home with officers as they searched it.
The FBI is assisting local police in the investigation, according to Fox.
Officers have also been stationed at other municipal and education facilities in town for protection on the chance this was part of a terrorist plot.
Emergency patients at Middlesex were brought to MidState Medical Center, the Hospital of Central Connecticut and Hartford Hospital until for the time being.
Yale-New Haven Hospital and Hartford HealthCare have said they are increasing security as a precaution at emergency departments and some other locations.
Ellam has an extensive criminal history in Connecticut that goes as far back as 2008, according to WFSB.
He has been convicted of driving under the influence, criminal mischief and assault. In 2013 he was also found guilty of attempting to strangle someone.