CLOSE Authorities said 24 workers at an Amazon warehouse in New Jersey were taken to the hospital after a can of bear repellent was punctured and released fumes Wednesday. At least one of the workers was in critical condition. (Dec. 5) AP
Emergency responders outside the Amazon warehouse in Robbinsville after 80 workers were sickened by bear repellent on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. (Photo: Dustin Racioppi/NorthJersey.com)
WOODLAND PARK, N.J. – One person was critically injured and nearly two dozen others were treated at five hospitals Wednesday in New Jersey after a can of bear repellent was reportedly torn open by a robot at an Amazon warehouse.
An investigation into the incident found "an automated machine accidentally punctured a 9-ounce bear repellent can, releasing concentrated Capsaican," an official told ABC News.
The impacted employees were released or expected to be released from hospitals on Thursday, Amazon told ABC News in a statement.
One of the workers had to have a tube inserted and was sent to the intensive care unit, hospital officials told WNBC-TV in New York.
A total of 24 workers were sent to hospitals, said John Nalbone, communications and public information officer for Robbinsville Township, New Jersey. That total includes the person who was critically injured.
An additional 30 people were treated at the scene of the Amazon fulfillment center.
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Emergency responders received a call just before 9 a.m. that 80 workers were complaining of difficulty breathing and burning in their eyes and throat. A triage area was set up outside the warehouse to treat patients. Fifty-four workers at the facility reported difficulty breathing and a burning sensation in the eyes and throat, Nalbone said. The 30 people treated at the scene did not need further medical attention, he said.
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