By Annie Sweeney
The Chicago Sun-Times

A 30-year-old Blommer Chocolate Company worker died Sunday after he was overcome by a substance being used to process candy at the Near West Side factory, officials said.

The man, whose name was not released, was apparently working alone at a top floor of the factory at 600 W. Kinzie when he was overcome, Chicago Police said. He was pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

"He was alone in an area [where] there was a higher concentration, for whatever reason,'' said Wood District Lt. Ken Sahnas.

The man was found face-down by a co-worker, who tried to help him but then passed out himself, police said. The second employee, a 31-year-old man, was taken to Northwestern Hospital, a spokesman said.

A third worker, a 53-year-old man, also was sickened by the chemical. He was taken to University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago.

Neither of those two men suffered life-threatening injuries, officials said.

The Chicago Fire Department was called to the factory for a hazardous materials response at 11 a.m., officials said. A department official said the incident occurred after a powdery substance used in the chocolate gave off an ammonia-like gas. Preliminary reports said the substance was ammonia bicarbonate.

In a statement, company officials said they were working with city, state and federal officials in an investigation.

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