Spray of Perfume Leads to Hysteria
In Fort Worth, 34 people were hospitalized after a co-worker sprayed perfume.
July 30, 2009— -- Mass hysteria isn't exactly the response a fragrance designer aims for.
Panic ensued at a Fort Worth, Texas, Bank of America call center Wednesday after a few workers complained of headaches, dizziness and shortness of breath.
Inquiries into the root of the fear revealed one suspect, according to Lt. Kent Worley, a spokesperson for the Fort Worth Fire Department: perfume. However, the apparently nauseating fragrance hasn't been identified, wasn't found during a hazmat search and isn't being considered truly hazardous.
This isn't the first time Worley claims to have experienced the mass hysteria phenomenon.
Worley appeared on "Good Morning America" for two consecutive shows a little over 12 years ago following a similar incident.
In an interview with Joan Lunden, Worley discussed the 1997 incident, in which about 1,100 people fled an office building following reports of noxious fumes, that apparently led one woman to seizures and vomiting.
The real cause was never found, even after the building was re-evacuated the following day.
Though the department took the April 1997 incident seriously, Worley said experience made the department take this report with a grain of salt. "At the height of this we only had three units there," said Worley. "At first it was just a handful of people, but then they just kept coming out."
But not everyone in the building felt the panic. Most of the evacuees were standard employees, namely callers, according to Worley. "The management didn't even know until we told them," Worley said. "But we had people leaving from other floors, not just the one where it happened."
After a 12:45 911 call, 12 workers were transported to the hospital via ambulance, MedStar ambulance spokeswoman Lara Kohl said. An announcement was made over the building's loud speaker stating that employees who felt ill should go outside.
Another 22 individuals with non-critical symptoms were brought to the ambulance on city busses. Over 100 other employees were assessed on the scene and released, bringing the total "afflicted" to a little fewer than 150.
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