Breaking News: 6 People Being Treated at Children's Hospital After Exposure to Unkown Substance

WTMJ AM 620 Radio/WTMJ 4 TV ^ | Friday June 8, 2007

[KylaStarr]

Thank you!

From your link:

>>Police say a student may have come into contact with pesticide residue at home. It appears the student may have carried some of the residue to the school. He reported feeling sick Friday morning. He went to the nurse, who called the boy’s mother.

On the way to the hospital, the boy’s mother also reported feeling ill. When they got to Children’s Hospital, four members of the staff who may have also been exposed to the substance were also treated as a precaution. At the time, the hospital called in the hazardous materials team.

Later in the day, a second student at Menomonee Falls High School reported feeling ill. That student is now also being treated at Children’s Hospital.

Authorities in Menomonee Falls are notifying parents of other students who may have come into contact with the students who got sick. <<

[null and void]

Childrens Hospital?

What kind of koranimals attack children???

I'll take 'BESLAN' for a thousand, Alex...

[null and void]

Very wide disparity between what the hospital just said and what law enforcement and the media initially reported.

Nothing to see here, move along...™

[null and void]

That patient and their mother were both side. ~ Milwaukee_Guy

Right or left? ~ steveo

They're all right now...

[null and void]

A bag of dirty diapers??

More like dirty diaper heads.

[null and void]

At best, does anyone see a complete failure by the hospital and authorities to effectively communicate what the @#@$@%^ is going on?

Waddya mean???

"We don’t know what it is. There is no risk to the public."

How could it possibly be clearer than that??????

[steveo]

Good to know the story was spun correctly.

[Political Junkie Too]

"We don’t know what it is. There is no risk to the public." How could it possibly be clearer than that??????

They could have assured us that it is not a terrorist attack.

-PJ

[null and void]

Good point. Clearly these are country rube bumpkins in flyover country.

(Do I really need a < /sarcasm> tag here?)

[RonDog]

See also, from www.themilwaukeechannel.com:

Hazmat Crews Investigate Son's, Mother's Mysterious Symptoms

7 People Quarantined

UPDATED: 5:08 pm CDT June 8, 2007

WAUWATOSA, Wis. -- Six people are being treated at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin for potential exposure to a harmful substance.

Milwaukee County Sheriff's spokeswoman Kim Brooks said that two teenage boys reported feeling sick at Menomonee Falls High School early Friday afternoon.

The first boy went to the nurse's office and the nurse called his mother, who picked him up to take him to the hospital.

On the way to the hospital, the boy's mother became ill, Brooks said.

They both complained of a headache and shortness of breath.

A couple of hours later, a second teenager, a friend of the first, was taken to Children's Hospital with similar symptoms.

Brooks said there is no reason to believe the symptoms are contagious and that there is any danger to the public.

The other people being treated are four hospital staff members.

Authorities said they are not certain any harmful substance actually exists, and they are looking for any potential hazardous material.

Brooks said the quarantine of the seven people is precautionary.

The emergency room is open and under normal operations.

The Menomonee Falls Police Department told 12 News they found nothing at Menomonee Falls High School and have cleared the scene.

Police said they they believe it might be a mold problem at the first teenager's house that may be causing the illness.

Copyright 2007 by TheMilwaukeeChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[null and void]

Well! I feel better!

[RonDog]

And, from www.todaystmj4.com:

Story Updated: Jun 8, 2007

6 Treated in Children's Hospital Hazmat Incident

Jenn Rourke

WAUWATOSA - Pesticides sprayed at a teen's home may be to blame for the hazmat situation at Children's Hospital Friday afternoon. The child may have inadvertently sickened others.

Children's Hospital received a patient that was potentially exposed to a harmful substance. Both the mother and her son were potentially exposed and came to the hospital around 12:30 p.m.

The substance has been contained, said a Children's Hospital spokeswoman.

The emergency room was briefly closed but was quickly reopened. Hazmat crews remained on the scene Friday afternoon to investigate.

The patient and his mother may have brought the substance in when they arrived for treatment. They complained of symptoms of headaches and shortness of breath. The teen reportedly called home from school complaining of those symptoms, and when his mother picked him up, she also noticed she had those symptoms.

The teenager, with a backpack possibly containing the hazardous material, goes to Menomonee Falls High School. It was unknown what the product could be inside the backpack.

The mother reported that they may have been exposed to some type of substance. No one is saying what that substance might be. In fact, they’re not sure if there is a substance.

Four staff members were also being quarantined as a precaution after concern that they may have come in contact with the material when the mother and child came in.

Authorities say there is no further threat to the public. However, Journal Sentinel is reporting that a second teen, a friend of the sick teen, went to the office at Menomonee Falls High School at 2:45 complaining of extreme illness as well.

Officials planned to call twenty other high school students to warn them that they may also be at risk for the illness.

Watch the Friday press conference detailing the information authorities have

Find this article at:
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/7906972.html

[gitmo]

Maybe it was a bag of those Compact Florescent Light Bulbs.

[BenLurkin]

I have a feeling that this is another one of those stories that will be buried by the national media.

It will be like it never happened for people who aren’t paying attention and even for us — we may never get the answer of just what exactly happened.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Thanks for the ping..........

[ModelBreaker]

At a children’s hospital - if this is a deliberate attack, who would target children?

Doubt it's terrorism. Two people get sick in a hospital?? But in answer to your question, the answer is: Muslims.

[Cindy]

...and another update:

http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/7920597.html

“Family Linked To Hazmat Scare Exposed To Banned Pesticide”
Tom Murray

MENOMONEE FALLS -

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Assistant Chief Jeff Hevey told TODAY’S TMJ4 reporter Tom Murray that the family used a pesticide called Chlordane inside the home. The Environmental Protection Agency banned that termite killing chemical in 1988. The EPA says Chlordane can cause dizziness, headaches and convulsions. It can linger in a home for decades. Chlordane is a white powder that becomes a dark, thick liquid when mixed with water.

While the Wauwatosa Fire Deparment confirms Chlordane was used inside the home, the case is still open. Authorities believe the boy may have been exposed to some different, unrelated substance. The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department is now handling the investigation.

“There was some weird powder on his backpack,” said Matt Polleck, a friend of the boy who brought the substance to school. Authorities brought Polleck to Children’s Hospital because he had contact with the powder. Matt also told TODAY’S TMJ4 there’s been a pesticide problem at his friend’s place.

“His brother had been sick a couple weeks ago because the pesticide had got to him, too.”

A Children’s Hospital spokesperson said everyone who came in contact with the substance has been treated and released. She said there is no longer a threat to patients or the community.”