Woman found floating face down at Civic Center, taken to hospital

Note: This story was last updated at 4 p.m.

A female believed to be in her 30s was taken to Methodist Medical Center on Monday afternoon after she was found floating face down in the fountain at the Oak Ridge Civic Center, city officials said.

The woman, who was not identified in a Tuesday statement, is currently receiving treatment at the hospital. She is believed to be in her mid-to-late 30s.

She was found in the 14-inch deep fountain at about 2:45 p.m. Monday by residents visiting the Civic Center, the statement said. Two people reported the incident to the staff at the Civic Center front counter, while a third tried to pull the woman out of the water, said Oak Ridge Electric Director Jack Suggs, who is acting city manager while Mark Watson attends an out-of-town meeting.

“Resuscitation efforts were immediately initiated, and emergency services from Oak Ridge police and fire departments responded to the scene,” the statement said.

Emergency responders said it is possible that the woman had a medical issue before she fell into the shallow fountain, Suggs said.

The Tuesday statement said the Oak Ridge Police Department is conducting a preliminary inquiry. The statement said the plaza area was closed for a short time during the investigation. No hazards were identified in the fountain, and the plaza has been reopened.

The statement said information regarding the patient’s condition and identity are not available through the city.

Suggs said the woman’s family had not all been notified as of this morning, and the hospital is expected to make notifications now. A police report was not available Tuesday afternoon, and MMC spokeswoman Crystal Jordan said she could not provide information on a patient’s condition without a name.

More information will be added as it becomes available.