Jennifer Torres
GulfLive
(TNS)
After receiving reports of a chemical smell inside a Florida Publix on Monday, Palm Bay Fire Department officials confirmed that more than a dozen people required treatment for respiratory ailments.
Palm Bay Fire Rescue arrived on scene at the Publix Super Market at 4711 Babcock St. NE in Palm Bay, Florida, on Monday morning and evacuated patrons before discovering the source of the smell.
“Twenty people were treated for respiratory ailments while crews searched for the cause,” Palm Bay Assistant Fire Chief John Ringleb said. “It turns out that the cause of the chemical smell/release was from a ‘bug bomb’ that was dropped from the shelf, and it activated when it hit the ground.”
Officials said all 20 people were treated and released with “no lingering health issues.”
“The building was ventilated, and the fumes were diminished,” Ringleb said. “No one was transported to the hospital. The store did reopen for business.”
According to Florida Environmental Pest Management, bug bombs (or foggers) are aerosol chemical insecticides that work by spraying the chemical insecticide into the air in a confined space — and the chemicals used in most are toxic to humans and pets.
An article published by University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources indicated the most commonly reported symptoms after exposure were cough, upper respiratory pain or irritation, difficulty breathing, vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain or cramping — however most symptoms are mild and don’t require medical treatment.
GulfLive.com reached out to Publix for a comment, but the company did not immediately respond.
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