MUSKEGON, MI – Police investigating a broken rear door at a

Dec. 26 reported unsanitary conditions throughout the clinic including used hypodermic needles in unsecured containers, “blood on the floor and walls in multiple locations” as well as dripping from a sink trap in a patient room, and “uncovered buckets containing unknown fluids” in the operating room.

Documents and photos released by the city of Muskegon in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by MLive and The Muskegon Chronicle detail findings that led to the city of Muskegon’s fire marshal shutting the clinic until the conditions could be remedied.

Women’s Medical Services, 863 E. Apple Ave., remained closed Monday. The clinic’s operator, Dr. Robert Alexander, has declined to comment on its future, but Muskegon Public Safety Director Jeffrey Lewis said last week that Alexander told city officials he wouldn’t try to reopen the facility.

Documents released in response to MLive’s FOIA request included three previously unreleased “violations noted during my assessment” listed by Fire Marshal Major Metcalf in a Dec. 27 letter to Alexander explaining the city’s cease and desist order. Lewis had withheld those initially because they didn’t relate to city codes, he said.

The three previously unreleased alleged violations are:

Improper disposal of syringes and needles.

Unsterilized medical equipment

“Dumping of chemicals and other liquids down drains without proper authorization and approvals.”

Metcalf's letter also listed eight other alleged city fire- or building-code violations that were publicly reported last week. Those included a leaking roof that caused rotting ceiling tiles, poor housekeeping, containers of hazardous materials not stored in cabinets and no fire extinguishers.

Police responded to a report of a break-in reported around 9:40 a.m. Dec. 26 by the building’s owner.

According to a police report on that investigation, released in response to MLive’s FOIA request, investigators found a 3-by-1-foot hole smashed in a plexiglass panel of a steel-frame rear door of the clinic.

That break-in remains under investigation. In an interview on Jan. 3, Lewis did not express an opinion on whether intruders may have caused any of the reported problems.

“We’re investigating to see if any of this was caused by the (illegal) entry,” Lewis said.

According to the police report on the incident, “due to the building condition we were unable to determine if the suspects made entry.”

The police report states that officers found:

“biohazard material and unsecured sharps throughout the building”

“multiple unsanitary medical instruments”

“blood on the floor and walls in multiple locations”

“uncovered buckets containing unknown fluids located in the operating room area”

“blood dripping from a sink p-trap in a room used by patients”

“multiple biohazard bags located on the floor and in closets”

“multiple unsecured containers containing used hypodermic needles”

“unsecured medications located throughout”

“All patient information was unsecured and scattered throughout the office portion of the business.”

“The ceiling tiles were rotten and water soaked due to a roof leak. There were buckets of water in multiple locations to catch the protruding water.”

Building code inspectors and Metcalf for the fire department then showed up to inspect the building. Metcalf determined it was unsafe to be occupied and posted signs barring occupancy.

A police detective who investigated after the initial patrol officers’ entry reported seeing “dried bloody handprints on the ultrasound machine and smears and blood splatters on the walls and floors throughout the business.”

The detective reported that televisions, stereos and cash remained in the building, but police could not determine whether whoever broke the door had actually entered the clinic.

At Metcalf’s request, the chief of Muskegon County’s Hazardous Materials Team stopped by and found “nothing of an immediate hazmat concern,” the detective reported.