Children Taken To Hospital After Accidentally Drinking Bleach At Jersey City Daycare Center
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Thirty people, including approximately two dozen children, were evaluated Thursday after accidentally drinking a small amount of bleach mistaken for water at a Jersey City daycare center.
Five ambulances responded to Growing Tree Learning Center II on Fifth Street after the children and a few staff members accidentally drank the cleaning agent thinking it was water, 1010 WINS reported.
Children Taken To Hospital After Accidentally Drinking Bleach At Jersey City Daycare Center
The victims were transported to Jersey City Medical Center and were evaluated, 1010 WINS reported.
"There's no doubt. That's all that matters...the safety of my child," one father leaving the emergency room told WCBS 880's Levon Putney.
"The report that we were given is that a cleaning solution was made up at the daycare yesterday with a small amount of bleach mixed into a bottle of water," Michael Bessette, Chairman of Emergency Medicine at Jersey City Medical Center, said.
Children Taken To Hospital After Accidentally Drinking Bleach At Jersey City Daycare Center
"Unfortunately, it was not labeled and somebody thought it was regular water and had served some small Dixie cups of this solution to the children," Bessette added.
As CBS 2's Vanessa Murdock reported, one of the staff members noticed the bleach smell, immediately collected the cups and called 911.
"It was in a low concentration so it didn't cause any damage to the children," Bessette said.
Learning Tree's Executive Director Keith Kearney said the bleach-water solution was in a repurposed milk container with the labels still on.
Bissette said no one cried and no one got sick, but three ambulances and a medical ambulance bus were needed.
"They're obviously a little excited, they get a big field trip today," Bessette said.
All of the children are expected to be released from the hospital Thursday, Bessette said.
Parent Nana Biga said accidents happen.
"It's not what you expect but as long as the school puts in the necessary precautions," she said.
The Growing Tree Learning Center II is licensed by New Jersey's Department of Children and Families, which is looking into the incident.
The day care center said an investigation is already underway to determine who is ultimately responsible for the incident, CBS 2 reported.
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