11 Utah National Guard workers decontaminated after possible exposure to hazardous substance

11 Utah National Guard workers hospitalized

CAMP WILLIAMS, Utah — Eleven Camp Williams employees had to be decontaminated in a hospital parking lot Thursday morning after complaining of symptoms that Utah National Guard officials think may be related to a hazardous substance.

Seven of the workers were in an office building at the base when they began experiencing itchy eyes, scratchy throats and runny noses, according to Capt. Clint Smith, a Unified Fire Authority spokesman.

They drove themselves to a hospital in Riverton and called the emergency room en route to explain their symptoms. They were told to stay in their vehicles until hazardous materials crews arrived.

Four other workers who were in the building but not exhibiting symptoms also came to the hospital as a precaution.

All eleven were decontaminated — a process that involves stripping down and getting a full-body wash in a special trailer — and then taken into the hospital, Smith said.

None of the conditions appears to be life-threatening, said Lt. Col. Hank McIntire, a Utah National Guard spokesman.

Hospital spokesman Jess Gomez said all 11 were being evaluated in the emergency room early Thursday afternoon.

The workers were a mix of civilians and National Guard members.

McIntire said he had no information on what may have triggered the symptoms or what kind of substance the workers may have been exposed to. The National Guard’s hazardous materials team is investigating.

McIntire said chemicals were not routinely brought into the building. Some minor renovations are being done there, he said, that mostly involve wiring for high-speed Internet and upgrading phone lines, not tearing down walls or moving pipes.

Camp Williams is a training facility operated by the Utah Army National Guard. It’s about 30 miles south of Salt Lake City.