Alta View Hospital in Sandy closed down a portion of its emergency room on Sunday evening after a hose containing antifreeze burst, prompting concerns of health risks for patients in the area.

At about 6 p.m., a line that connects the E.R.'s heating and cooling system exploded, causing liquid to seep into several triage rooms, said Bryan Packer, the hospital's public relations manager.

Hospital officials transferred three E.R. patients to other hospitals while some other patients were moved to sections of the hospital to be farther from the leak, which created strong fumes, Packer said.

Authorities determined the leak didn't pose severe health risks to patients, but people with certain respiratory problems may have been irritated by fumes created from the broken hose, he said. The Sandy Fire Department and Alta View Hospital staff worked to clean up the mess before the area was reopened around 9:30 p.m., Packer said.

Melinda Rogers