Fuerte perfume envía al hospital a 34 personas en EE.UU.

Fuerte perfume envía al hospital a 34 personas en EE.UU.
Treinta y cuatro personas fueron hospitalizadas y otras decenas presentaron malestares en Estados Unidos debido al fuerte olor de un perfume. La emergencia ocurrió en la fila de un banco. Los servicios de emergencia atribuyeron el hecho inicialmente a una fuga de gas en el lugar, pero más tarde se descubrió que se trataba de la fragancia que una mujer se aplicó en el lugar.

Dozens of bank staff taken to hospital with suspected poisoning... after colleague sprays herself with PERFUME

Almost 150 people needed medical treatment after a colleague in their office sprayed perfume at work.

Fire officials and paramedics had feared carbon monoxide poisoning or some kind of leak of other toxic fumes when staff in the Bank of America call centre fell ill.

Workers said they felt dizzy and short of breath and 34 had to be treated in hospital - 12 of whom were rushed there in ambulances.

Another 110 were treated at the scene in Fort Worth, Texas, as panic took hold around the building over what was initially reported as a gas leak.

But officials later discovered nothing more noxious than perfume was to blame - although they never determined what brand.

Lt. Kent Worley, from the fire service, said the drama yesterday afternoon started when two people complained about dizziness after a colleague sprayed something.

A rush of hysteria began after an announcement was made instructing anyone with similar symptoms to leave the building.

Lt. Worley suggested the situation had escalated because of 'psychosomatic behaviour', which has been described by medical experts as 'contagious fear'.

Firefighters and paramedics were called at around 12.45pm to the Bank of America building.

Emergency officials had been told there was a leak of carbon monoxide which is a colourless, poisonous gas that has no smell.

But they soon discovered a spray of perfume was the flashpoint for the chaos.

'Two employees reported some dizziness in close association with someone spraying on some perfume,' Lt Worley said.

A call centre worker is evacuated from the facility in Fort Worth, Texas

People had left the building but others who stayed inside and continued working had felt 'no ill effect', he added.

Jumana Bauwens, a spokesman for Bank of America, said about 1,800 to 2,200 employees work in the building but did not know how many had left.

The offices were declared safe at around 3pm after 12 people went to hospital in ambulances and another 22 with less serious symptoms went there by bus.

Medical experts say episodes of 'contagious fear' should not be dismissed because they can often bring on actual symptoms.