Eight children were rushed to the hospital after experiencing “seizure-like symptoms” during a choir concert at St. Paul’s Parish in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts, on the evening of July 22.
The children, ages 11 to 13, were members of the Chœur d’Enfants d’Île-de-France, a visiting youth choir from France performing a free concert at the church. The event quickly turned alarming when audience members and choir participants reported smelling a strange odor, and several children began to feel unwell.
Cambridge Fire Chief Thomas Cahill told WCVB that first responders arrived around 7 p.m. after an initial report of a child having a seizure. “When we got there, one student was sitting on the front steps with symptoms. Soon after, seven more reported seizure-like symptoms,” he said.
Several of the affected children said they had difficulty breathing after noticing the odor. Some adults in attendance also claimed they smelled something unusual, but when fire crews arrived, they could not detect anything.
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A hazmat team was dispatched to investigate, and air sampling meters were used throughout the church buildings. According to a statement from the Cambridge Fire Department, no hazardous substances were found and no carbon monoxide was detected. As a precaution, the buildings were thoroughly ventilated.
Approximately 70 people were in attendance at the time of the incident. No other attendees reported symptoms, and all eight affected children were transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening conditions, officials confirmed. CBS News reported that the children are expected to fully recover.
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the mysterious symptoms, but so far, no environmental hazard has been identified.
