'Sick building': 31 in hospital

2003-11-07 21:25

Johannesburg - Thirty-one people who were evacuated from the Medscheme building in Conrad Street, Florida on Friday have been admitted to hospital, one of them in a serious condition after suffering a heart attack.

Johannesburg emergency services evacuated the entire building as well as an adjoining building connected to it via a walkway on Friday, after employees inside started complaining of nausea and vomiting.

Malcolm Midgley, spokesperson for the service, said in total about 600 people were evacuated. Of that number, 31 were hospitalised, with the heart attack patient being taken to Flora Clinic.

Midgley, who said the woman had a pre-existing heart condition which was worsened by the stress, said the employee had most likely been admitted to the intensive care unit.

Police and forensic teams were investigating. Midgley said Medscheme suspect their employees were poisoned although he thought this was highly unlikely.

It was more likely, Midgley said, that there was some sort of malfunction in the air conditioning system, however this would need to be confirmed by investigators.

- SAPA