Chicago Workers Overcome by Chocolate Fumes

June 11, 2008
Incident happened when the wrong chemicals were mixed

Chicago crews were called to the well-known Blommers Chocolate factory on Sunday, June 8. It happened when weekend workers were busy cleaning out a chocolate mixing vat on the third floor. There were 15 men in the building and four of them were working on the vat.

It appeared that one of the men poured the wrong cleaning chemical into the vat with another chemical already in the vat. The mixing of the chemicals caused deadly fumes to form, which caused three men to pass out. The forth man made it out of the building and called the fire department.

When the Chicago Fire Department arrived, they went into the building to rescue the three men. As this was being done, the CFD,called for a Level 2,Haz Mat Box,and a plan one EMS Box.

The firemen found the three men lying on the floor. Each was carried out to a waiting ambulance and taken to hospitals. One of the three men did not make it and died on the way to the hospital.

A complete search of the building was made and all the other workers were safe.

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