GREENVILLE Co., S.C. (WSPA) —
Scary moments on Tuesday night at an Upstate Walmart, after several workers… became sick.
Seven of them had to be taken to the hospital after throwing up and complaining of nausea.
Workers at the Walmart on White Horse Road, reportedly were overcome by an odorless gas.
While workers cleaned and stripped a floor at the store Berea after 10:00 Tuesday night, first responders say fumes from a machine made it tough for some to breath.
Assistant Fire Chief at Berea Fire Department, Alan Myers says “when they arrived they noticed that some of the employees and some of the people who were visiting the store were complaining of burning of the eyes and throat and actually some were nauseated.”
The fire department quickly turned its focus to find the cause, turns out, a machine used to clean and strip the floors, used a propane combustion motor…. fire fighters and a Walmart spokesperson speculate that the exhaust from the machine caused people to get sick.
First responders never know exactly what they’re walking into, so they have to be ready for anything.
Alan says, “every call is different, theres no routine call so when they responded to an order investigation they didn’t really know what type odor it was and at that point that’s why we take all the precautions.”
A statement released by Walmart, reads in part… ” (we) are thankful that the seven individuals affected have reportedly recovered. we addressed the situation, which resulted from chemicals used to clean the floor. we have reopened and apologize for any inconvenience.”
A few agencies helped in this investigation….the Greenville County Hazmat
team was called out help and the Greenville Emergency Management Team helped to take care of patients.
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