Parts of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute in Montreal remain closed a day after burst pipes caused extensive water damage, forcing the cancellation of patient appointments on Tuesday and the shutdown of several buildings on campus. The flooding began Monday when pipes in the sprinkler system burst inside the Lehmann Pavilion, sending water gushing through ceilings and into important laboratory spaces. Officials now confirm that at least three buildings have been closed as a precaution, including one with a brain scanner. Water service has also been cut off in those areas. This situation is now affecting patients, making it more serious than first thought, said Dr. Sylvain Williams, principal investigator at the Williams hippocampus and memory laboratory. He confirmed some clinics have had to postpone appointments, and several research spaces are inaccessible. A clinic located in the Newman building was forced to cancel or postpone appointments for the day, impacting patients scheduled for care. Hospital officials say outpatient support groups were also cancelled after hot water was shut off in nearby buildings as a preventive measure. Affected patients were contacted directly. According to Douglas Hospital officials, significant water damage occurred in a total of four locations along a second-floor corridor of the Lehmann building, heavily impacting four laboratories. They say an unusually severe weather event combined with aging infrastructure likely caused the pipes to rupture, sending large volumes of water to the ground floor. ‘Dilapidated’ conditions The West Island Health Board referred to “dilapidated conditions at the Douglas Institute” likely causing the burst. Health Minister Sonia Belanger said the government is looking into it. “We are reviewing the priorities with Sante Quebec for all health infrastructure projects,” she said. “We are starting with those most in disrepair and the Douglas is a hospital that is clearly in disrepair.” Dr. Simon Ducharme, medical director of the memory clinic, has been speaking out about the hospital’s condition for years. “You walk into the Douglas Institute, you’ll see damaged walls, damaged floor, damaged ceilings. You’ll see signs of mould. When you work there clinically, you don’t have to be there very long to see bugs. You can see rodents,” said Ducharme. He said he’s still waiting to see any plans for a modernization project that was announced by the CAQ six years ago. “This is a project that should have been done 10 years ago. It was already too late five years ago. And now we are not moving at all,” he said. Last summer, staff raised concerns about deteriorating conditions, including overcrowding, animal infestations, mould, and a lack of air conditioning. Although the renovations were planned, Dr. Williams said they were put on hold last year. Founded in 1881, the Douglas Institute has long struggled with aging infrastructure. Quebec Solidaire MNA for Verdun, Alejandra Zaga-Mendez, said no one should be treated in these conditions. “If we don’t have the infrastructures to heal them, they might end up in the streets. And that’s what we’re seeing already with the crisis of mental health,” she said. Could delay scientific work A specialized disaster recovery team, along with hygiene and sanitation crews, has been deployed to clean and secure the affected areas. Officials say a more detailed damage assessment will take place over the coming days. The Lehmann building remains closed in the meantime. While no injuries were reported, researchers warn the incident could significantly delay ongoing scientific work, including studies into mental health, Alzheimer’s disease, and genomics. “These are labs with extremely valuable equipment and irreplaceable human samples,” said Dr. Williams. “This will slow down critical research for some time.” Hospital officials say their priority is restoring services as quickly as possible and supporting both patients and researchers affected by the disruption. Dr. Williams said the leak is the latest sign the hospital is falling apart. “I was shocked, but not totally surprised,” he said of the water damage. “That’s the issue of being in a very old building that should have been abandoned years ago.”
