A crowded grocery store quickly became a chaotic scene Friday when a chemical attack sent people running into the parking lot complaining of burning eyes and lungs.
Immediately after the attack, firefighters, police and hazardous material crews rushed to the scene of the Redwood City Safeway. At least 37 people were affected and 17 people were rushed to several hospitals.
The chemical release is being treated as a crime, said Redwood City Fire Chief Gerry Kohlmann.
"We don't know if it was a prank, or if it's deliberate or a sign of something to follow," said Kohlmann.
At 12:15 p.m., dispatchers received a 911 call from someone outside the store reporting people running from the store, located at 1071 El Camino Real in the Sequoia Station Shopping Center. The store was shut down and fire crews called a second alarm when they saw the number of people affected by the chemical, Kohlmann said.
The chemical wasn't visible, but caused immediate irritation to both customers and employees.
The Redwood City Police Department shut down the parking lot to incoming traffic while paramedics checked victims at the scene. Those with greater irritation were taken to Stanford, Kaiser, Sequoia and San Mateo Medical Center, as part of the county's multi-casualty incident plan.
Hazardous materials crews couldn't identify the chemical because it was already dissipated by the time they arrived on scene. It doesn't take much for someone to spray something similar to pepper spray and have it affect a large area, said Redwood City police Capt. Ron Matuszak.
Attacks like this happen occasionally in the Bay Area, but seldom happen in Redwood City, said Matuszak.
Police will be reviewing video surveillance tapes to try and find the culprit, said Matuszak.
Dana Yates can be reached by e-mail: dana@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com
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