A woman has been charged with vandalism after she allegedly cut essential medical gases at two Sydney hospitals, in what the state’s health minister has called “deliberate sabotage”. 

New South Wales Police said a woman allegedly entered the grounds of Sutherland Hospital in Caringbah about 12:20am and cut the water and gas mains, before she turned on the fire hoses.

Police said about an hour later, a woman then went into a private hospital on the same street and switched off the gas supply.

Health Minister Ryan Park said the public hospital had to rely on portable oxygen and air as part of its contingency plans.

Man in suit speaks outside with microphones

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the woman allegedly entered part of Sutherland Hospital before cutting off medical gases. (ABC News: Andrew Whitington )

A Kareena Private Hospital spokesperson said all hospital services were quickly restored and it was operating “as normal” with no impact to patients.

Just before 4am, a 42-year-old woman was arrested at nearby Miranda for alleged breach of bail and was taken to Sutherland Police Station for questioning.

“Following inquiries and a review of CCTV, police will allege the 42-year-old woman was the same person who attended the two hospitals,” a spokesperson said. 

On Tuesday afternoon, the woman was charged with public nuisance, enter prescribed premises of any person without lawful excuse, sabotage, destroy or damage property, and breach of bail.

She was also charged with tamper with fire alarm or fire signalling apparatus and trespass on protected premises in relation to a separate incident at a hostel in Darlinghurst on Monday. 

She was refused bail and is due to appear before Sutherland Local Court on Wednesday. 

Damage ‘could have been catastrophic’

Mr Park said no patients were affected, and gas services were restored by the Southern Sydney Local Health District within two hours.

He said the woman climbed into a restricted part of Sutherland Hospital before cutting off medical gases relied upon by people experiencing serious illness.

“To do this is beyond serious. It could have been catastrophic,” he said.

“To do this in any way, shape or form is to put the lives of some very seriously ill people at risk in a hospital. It’s not a joke.”

NSW Health investigation underway

The minister said NSW Health would investigate whether “anything could have been done differently”.

“Access to gas systems in NSW public hospitals is restricted,” he said in a statement.

“We will review the incident to see what improvements can be implemented.”

Police have not said whether the woman being questioned had a connection to the hospital.