Radioactive Rock Closes Colorado ER

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. --

Sky Ridge Medical Center temporarily closed its emergency room Friday afternoon because of a radioactive scare.

Hospital spokeswoman Linda Watson told 7NEWS a patient came in the emergency room with a low-level radioactive material.

"He had this stone in his pocket -- a rock that has low, low level of radioactivity," Watson said.

Hazardous materials teams in full protection suits were called to the scene to secure the area.

"For security and risk management sake, we immediately called South Metro for the safety of our patients and our employees ... but there's no immediate danger," Watson said.

The patient is not under investigation.

"It wasn't a malicious act. It was simply an accident," Watson said.

The hospital temporarily diverted its emergency room traffic to other hospitals.

Sky Ridge said it recently installed a radioactive alert system.