Management at an assisted-care home have pledged a full inquiry into the death of an elderly resident after he became disconnected from a ventilator.

Staff at the Good Samaritan Society's Mill Woods Centre found themselves dealing with worried residents after a rumour began circulating that the 72-year-old man had died suspiciously on Friday.

"There were rumours that foul play was involved," Good Samaritan Society president Phil Gaudet said yesterday.

"We did have the police here but that is our standard response to an unexpected death."

The victim, who is not being publicly identified at his family's request, is believed to have died around 11 a.m. Friday.

He became disconnected from his ventilator while using the washroom in his room, Gaudet said.

Because the man suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, he was unable to use his personal alarm to call for help.

The ventilator is fitted with an alarm which is supposed to alert staff if a patient becomes disconnected.

"Our investigation will be looking at whether there was an equipment failure, someone not doing their job or a procedural problem," said Gaudet.

"We have to ensure nothing like this can happen again. This is a terrible tragedy."

Gaudet said the investigation will involve interviewing a number of staffers.

Computer data will also need to be retrieved from the home's equipment monitoring system.

The Capital Health Authority is also reviewing the death.

"As the funder, we have to look at this and what the implications are from our point of view," said health authority spokesman Steve Buick.

"We need to review what kind of residents should be here, the general kind of equipment available and whether staffing levels were adequate."

Gaudet said although the investigation has already begun and the relevant staff should all be interviewed within the next few days, the inquiry could take a few weeks to complete.

In the meantime extra staff will be brought in to increase numbers on each shift.

The Mill Woods facility has 15 residents in its chronic ventilator unit.

The medical examiner is also looking into the death.

Last February, a 24-year-old resident froze to death after insisting on going out in his electric wheelchair despite being told by Good Sam staff it was too cold to go outside.

He was found dead next morning in a nearby mall parking lot.