| Title | Pepper Spray at Times Square Toys-R-Us. | |
| Date | Sunday November 28, @05:28PM | |
| Author | NYC | |
| Topic | News | |
| from the dept. | ||
NYC writes
Toxic Shopping Spray
http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/35253.htm
November 28, 2004 --
More than 3,000 joyful holiday shoppers were
forced to flee the Toys 'R' Us store in Times Square yesterday when
some people suddenly were blinded by tears and started gasping for air.
The cause of the mysterious ailment — that sickened at least 20 people, including children — was pepper spray, FDNY officials said at the scene.
The massive 3:25 p.m. exodus caused traffic in Times Square
to come to a dead halt as cops immediately closed a five-block swath
from 42nd Street to 47th Street around the Broadway store.
Everyone got out safely, many clutching their terrified kids and shopping bags. Many stumbled out coughing and gasping.
Some 15 employees and customers were treated at the scene with oxygen, and five others who suffered more serious symptoms, including dizziness and nausea, were rushed to St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital and St. Vincent's Midtown Hospital.
Cops last night were reviewing surveillance tapes and believe the spray was sent airborne in or near a store elevator...
Firefighters using high-tech hand-held toxin sensors rushed into the building at 44th Street and Seventh Avenue. They were quickly able to determine that the noxious fumes were not lethal.Fire Capt. Mike Myers said it could have been in a purse or on a key chain.
He said the fumes had been detected in three locations near the elevator banks on the first two floors of the three-story building.
...the doors reopened 30 minutes later to business as usual.printed from GlobalFreePress, Pepper Spray at Times Square Toys-R-Us. on 2004-12-04 02:09:58