Guelph General Hospital says a sprinkler head broke in its emergency department over the weekend and the flooding has caused significant damage.
Longer wait times are now expected for those who are coming to the hospital, the hospital said in a statement on Wednesday.
Officials are still assessing the damage but about 20 per cent of the department has been taken out of service for at least three weeks.
Affected areas include four treatment rooms, five seated patient areas and two hallway spaces.
As a result, the hospital said those coming to the emergency department can anticipate much longer wait times than usual.
Vice-president of people and support services Karen Suk-Patrick said the timing couldn’t be worse with the busy holiday season approaching.
“We are asking for extra patience and understanding from those coming to our emergency department,” she said.
“Our staff are doing the best they can given difficult circumstances. It may take longer but they will continue to provide the high-quality care for which Guelph General Hospital is known.”