A substance believed to be some form of glycerin leaked from a bottle inside a piece of luggage, making several people ill and closing Fort Wayne International Airport for more than nine hours Wednesday.
The light-colored liquid, initially thought to be used to make perfume or sometimes used for medicinal purposes depending on the type, was inside two containers of frosted glass shaped like wine bottles, authorities said. They believed it was shipped here as part of the baggage of a local doctor. Officials have not released the doctor's name.
The doctor was not with the bags at the time of arrival just before 2 a.m. Reports said he missed his flight out of Chicago, originating in London, and his bags arrived without him -- one reason extra precautions were taken.
Fire Department Capt. Bob Amber said the doctor, who was cooperating with investigators, frequently vacations in Beirut, Lebanon, and said the package in his luggage might have originated from that country.
The bottles were wrapped inside a Styrofoam container, and it appeared the sender did not mean for them to leak, Amber said.
The leak was discovered when an American Eagle baggage handler came in contact with the suitcase as it was unloaded from one of the airline's flights about 1:51 a.m.
Workers who came in contact with the substance developed rashes on their faces, and some were nauseated, but no symptoms were life-threatening, Amber said. A total of 10 people, seven taken by ambulance and three who drove themselves, went to Lutheran Hospital for treatment. As of 11:30 a.m., all 10 had been released from the hospital.
According to U.S. Pharmacopeia Dispensing Information, some forms of glycerin can have toxic effects if ingested. It also can produce dehydration and other medical problems.
The airport was closed after fire crews were notified of the situation at 3:28 a.m.
The FBI and other federal agencies took over the investigation by midmorning, but there were no indications the spill was a terrorist incident.
