By Lauren Girgis
The Seattle Times
SEATTLE — Eight people, including three firefighters, were taken to the hospital Tuesday afternoon after a “respiratory irritant” was found in a Rainier Valley apartment building.
The Seattle Fire Department began hazmat response and evacuation in the building at 6901 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. around 1 p.m.
Crews treated 10 people at the scene for injuries related to a substance found on the third floor of the building. Eight of those people, including three firefighters, were taken to the hospital.
One patient, a 54-year-old woman, is in serious condition.
Crews ventilated the area to remove what they said was an airborne irritant. Fire Department officials did not share any additional information about the substance or why it was in the apartment.
Shortly before 4 p.m., people were allowed back into the building after the air quality was deemed safe.
(c)2023 The Seattle Times
Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.