SALEM, MA (WBZ-AM)-- A hazmat response to an e-cigarette manufacturing company in Salem led to a several people going to the hospital late Sunday night, several hours after an initial chlorine leak.
The incident happened at Thermal Circuits located at 1 Technology Way in Salem, MA.
The first response was about 3:30 P.M Sunday afternoon following a chlorine leak in a chemical storage room after several hours the building was deemed to be safe.
Then around 9:30 P.M. Sunday another call to the building where several people on the night shift complained of nausea difficulty breathing and other symptoms.
“There seemed to be a panic in the building in they all made an exit through this side of the building,” said Salem, MA Deputy Fire Chief Alan Dionne who says there was a mass hysteria for a time.
Then a dozen people were taken by ambulance to the hospital and several others transported themselves. There was no chlorine detected in the second response
The facility is closed today while the Commonwealth Fire Marshall's Office as well as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigate the cause of the leak.
WBZ NewsRadio1030's Ben Parker reports