Man takes his life in hospital's emergency area

A rest room in the waiting area of the emergency room at Camden's Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center became the scene of a tragedy Monday.

Authorities said a 71-year-old Camden man shot and killed himself there around 12:20 p.m., shortly after arriving alone and walking into the single bathroom at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.

No one else was injured and authorities did not identify the man.

The incident occurred 25 minutes after firefighters responded to a blaze at the man's home in the 900 block of North 31st Street. The flames were under control by 12:13 p.m., fire officials said.

The cause of the fire was under investigation. No one was inside the home at the time.

The man's suicide is the second at a South Jersey hospital this year. In March, a 26-year-old man shot himself in the head after walking into the emergency room lobby of Inspira Medical Center in Woodbury.

- Michael Boren