Five individuals were hospitalized following a hazardous materials incident at a South Baltimore poultry processing plant yesterday. According to FOX Baltimore, the Baltimore City Fire Department was alerted about the situation in the 2100 block of Wicomico Street, home of Holly Poultry, shortly before 5 p.m. Upon their arrival, first responders found ten people in need of medical attention.
While the injuries sustained by those affected were described as non-life-threatening, the health scare caused a significant emergency response with around 100 workers present, all of whom were eventually moved to a safe location. According to details shared by WMAR-2 News, employees on site described symptoms consistent with overexposure to carbon dioxide, including lightheadedness and nausea, with some reportedly having trouble breathing.
Authorities, including the BCFD hazmat team, worked for hours venting the facility and monitoring CO2 levels. Public Information Officer John Marsh remarked, "What's non-typical about it, is the source. We can't find the actual source of it so that's where we're completely investigating what's going on now," according to a WMAR-2 News report. The mystery of the source has led to an ongoing investigation involving the Baltimore Police, the Baltimore Office of Emergency Management, and the Maryland Department of the Environment.
