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Strong perfume hospitalises 34 in Texas

By Lucy Halfhead on Thursday 30 July 2009

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Fragrance, Perfume, Beauty News, Health News

A strong perfume sparked panic at a Texas call centre and led to 34 people being taken to hospital.

When scores of workers started feeling sick and dizzy, it was feared that carbon monoxide or another toxic substance had leaked into the building.

However, it later turned out that a particularly strong brand of perfume was to blame. Lara Kohl, a MedStar ambulance spokeswoman said 34 people were taken to hospitals, 12 by ambulance, after reporting dizziness and shortness of breath at a Bank of America call centre in the city of Fort Worth.

Some employees also complained of chest pains and head aches. Another 110 people were treated at the scene. But after hazmat crews and the fire department inspected the entire building and said they did not find anything harmful, workers were allowed back in.

Lt Kent Worley, Fort Worth fire chief, said the incident started with two people complaining about dizziness after a female co-worker sprayed perfume. When others reported being sick, an announcement was made that anyone with similar symptoms should exit the building. Panic spread through the building and people poured on to the pavement outside.

Lt Worley said that the situation had escalated because of ‘psychosomatic behaviour’ and ‘contagious fear’. Investigators do not know what brand of perfume was sprayed.

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Thursday 30 July 2009

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What is it about smells? In May, the AT&T "office-employee fridge" at a California call center was in trouble. A worker decided to clean the refrigerator that was full of odoriferous, rotten food left by co-workers who never thrown food away. The trouble began when she used, not one, but two cleaning chemicals. The mixture, combined with the odor of "rotting flesh" (probably someone's ham sandwich left there for weeks), caused 28 co-workers to become nauseous and vomit non-stop. Someone called 911 between upchucks and 325 employees had to evacuate the building. Then 50 firefighters and 18 emergency vehicles raced to the scene. Ambulances took 7 to the hospital AND a hazmat team had to be called. How much money to you suppose all that cost we-the-taxpayers?

Comment by Sharon McEachern on July 31 00:06