Eight children participating in a church concert were taken to the hospital after suddenly experiencing seizure-like symptoms.
Cambridge Fire Chief Thomas Cahill said that crews were called to the area at around 7:00 p.m. to St. Paul's Parish at 27 Mt. Auburn St. When firefighters arrived at the church, a child was seen sitting on the front steps of the building but was not actively seizing.
Children Suffered From Seizure-Like Symptoms
Cahill added that the incident quickly involved seven other children who suffered from similar symptoms before being transported to hospitals around the Cambridge area. Authorities said that during the performance, some of the kids reported feeling sick from something they smelled.
There were many students and adults who also reported smelling odors inside the building, but crews noted they did not detect any out-of-the-ordinary smells when they arrived at the scene. All of the affected children were aged 11 to 13 and were originally from France, according to WCVB.
The fire chief noted that the incident was "somewhat unusual," adding that it was a routine medical call that suddenly escalated into bringing eight children to the hospital. After the initial incident, a hazmat and rescue team went through the building and reported zero readings of anything unusual.
Cahill added that there were roughly 70 people who attended the concert who were not affected, and all of the attendees left the area with designated chaperones. He said that all of the children who suffered seizure-like symptoms seemed healthy before being brought to the hospital.
The medical emergencies of the children at the scene were described as non-life-threatening before the kids were transported to the hospital. All of the victims were released from the medical establishments as of Wednesday morning, The Harvard Crimson reported.
An Unusual Incident
A statement by the Cambridge Fire Department's media manager, John J. Gelinas, noted that the choir left Massachusetts en route to a concert in Bangor, Maine, after all of the children were discharged from the hospital.
The youth choir, which was founded in 1970, travelled extensively and performed with some of the top conductors and soloists from around the world. St. Paul's Parish added that the concert was set to feature an exciting mix of sacred and secular repertoire, including popular French songs, as per Newsweek.
Cahill also noted on Wednesday, after the children were all discharged from the hospital, that they were still unsure what exactly caused the seizure-like symptoms among the kids.
