Seven adults got sick and four others were hospitalizedThursday due to an unknown substance they were exposed to inside the emergencyroom at
It all started with an odd smell, which Riley staff membersconfirmed, prompting a call to the Indianapolis Fire Department. Atapproximately 11:50 a.m., an IFD hazardous materials team responded, along withmembers of the Department of Homeland Security, to investigate a possiblechemical spill inside the hospital's emergency room. IFD spokesman Lt. DerrickSayles later said there wasn’t a chemical spill.
Crews were still trying to identify the mystery subtancethat caused seven adults to fall ill at Riley, even though investigators admitthey may never know what made them sick.
"At this time, everything we found isinconclusive," said Indianapolis Homeland Security Director Gary Coons ata news conference Friday afternoon.
Marion County Health Department Director, Dr. VirginiaCaine, confirmed the inconclusive findings, "We've used the mostsophisticated tests that we have already," she said. "Usually whenyou get to this stage, it's very rare that you identify something later."
Riley says its hospital did everything right to respond: amajor lockdown and extensive testing by Hazmat, the Health Department, evenexperts at the National Guard. They ruled out benzene and any gases associatedwith bio-terrorism.
"Our monitors would pick up on any kind of chemicallike that," Coons told reporters.
Thankfully, all 7 adults who were sickened reported noadditional symptoms hours after exposure to the mystery substance, nor has anyone else reported getting sick since it all began. Unfortunately, them maynever know what made them sick.
As of today, health officials report that we may likelynever know what noxious substance triggered the hospital lockdown and causedpeople to get sick.
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