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Mystery Irritant Affects Dozens of Children
7 Feb
Summary
- A dozen children at a Wellesley day care experienced skin redness.
- HAZMAT teams are investigating the soap dispensers as a potential source.
- Eleven children were taken to area hospitals for superficial rashes.
A day care center in Wellesley, Massachusetts, has been temporarily closed following an incident where a dozen young children developed skin redness. The affected children, ranging from one to five years old, experienced reactions described as similar to sunburn on their hands. Fire and HAZMAT teams responded to the scene to investigate the cause.
Authorities are focusing their investigation on the liquid soap dispensers within the facility, with Wellesley Fire Chief Steve Mortarelli suggesting the issue might be linked to them. It is believed the irritant is not airborne. Police are considering the possibility that a form of dishwasher detergent may have been mixed into the soap, potentially leading to varying concentrations and reactions among the children.
As a precautionary measure, eleven of the affected children were transported to nearby hospitals. Their rashes are reported as minor and superficial. The day care, which typically accommodates around 40 children, remains shut down while the investigation continues. Parents were present as their children received medical attention.
