Eight children attending a youth choir performance at a church near Harvard University were taken to local hospitals after suddenly experiencing seizure-like symptoms Tuesday evening.
Authorities say the incidents may be linked to fumes from cleaning products used before the concert, though all the children have since been released and are recovering well.
The concert, held at St. Paul’s Parish in Harvard Square, featured the renowned French ensemble Chœur d’Enfants d’Île-de-France as part of their U.S. tour, according to a post on St. Paul’s Facebook page.
It was at approximately 7:30 p.m. when first responders were dispatched to the church on Mount Auburn Street for a medical emergency, according to the Cambridge Fire Department’s statement.
Paramedics and fire teams treated eight children, described as preteens and early teenagers, for non-life-threatening symptoms at the scene before taking them to be checked further at area hospitals. The remaining 70 concert attendees were not impacted by the incident, according to fire officials.
Response From Emergency Teams
Hazardous materials crews conducted a complete assessment of the church, using various air sampling tools, and investigators said they didn’t find any dangerous conditions present in the facility.
“Results were negative and the buildings were ventilated,” the department reported, adding that the origin of the symptoms was possibly fumes from cleaning supplies recently used before the concert.
Fire Chief Thomas Cahill spoke with WCVB-TV, telling the TV station: “That quickly escalated into seven other people having seizure-like symptoms.”
Initial responders had been called for a single child thought to be experiencing a seizure, but after they arrived, the child was sitting outside the church and was not actively seizing.
The fire department noted all children were discharged from area hospitals by Wednesday. After venting the building and ensuring that no trace hazards remained, “all occupants & concert attendees left the scene with designated chaperones,” the fire department said.
The French youth choir scheduled for the event, according to St. Paul’s Parish, “has traveled extensively and performed with some of the world’s top conductors and soloists” since its founding in 1970. The concert, open to the public, featured both sacred and popular selections.
Inquiries from NTD News directed to St. Paul’s Parish and the Harvard Catholic Center, which serves local university communities, were referred to the fire department.
According to the Mayo Clinic, most seizures last from 30 seconds to two minutes, and any that last longer than five minutes are considered a medical emergency. Medicine can help manage most seizures, but may also result in side effects.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
