May 12, 2024
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Suspected food poisoning in Yorkville sends 14 to hospital

Homemade food brought to the workplace possible cause

By Eric Schelkopf
Fourteen employees at a Yorkville business on Monday were hospitalized for food poisoning suspected to be from homemade food brought to the workplace.

Fourteen employees at a Yorkville business on Monday were hospitalized for food poisoning suspected to be from homemade food brought to the workplace. (File photo)

Fourteen employees at a Yorkville business on Monday were hospitalized for what was suspected to be food poisoning caused by homemade food brought to the workplace.

At 12:54 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11,, the Bristol Kendall Fire Protection District were dispatched to a business in the 200 block of Boombah Boulevard in Yorkville. While en route, they were advised of four people who were experiencing symptoms similar to food poisoning, according to a news release from the Bristol Kendall Fire Protection District.

More employees started displaying symptoms, according to the release. Firefighters used monitors to determine there were no hazardous gases inside the building.

Fourteen patients were taken to four area hospitals.

More employees started to have the same symptoms. Additional medic units were requested and taken to four different area hospitals.

The food poisoning is suspected to be be caused by homemade food brought in and shared during the lunch break, according to the release. In an email, Jeremy Messersmith, interim fire chief for Bristol Kendall Fire Protection District, said he “cannot 100% confirm it was food poisoning.”

“We were able to rule out any other sources possibly from a leak in the building or a HVAC unit bringing something inside,” he said in the email. “The one thing that tied all of these patients together was one item of food that was homemade and brought in to be shared with coworkers. There were several other workers present that were not experiencing the symptoms these 14 individuals were and did not eat the item of food.”

He did not know the conditions of the people who were hospitalized. Bristol Kendall Fire Protection District was assisted on the scene by Oswego, Little Rock-Fox, Sandwich, Sugar Grove, Montgomery-Countryside and Big Rock fire protection districts. Station coverage with medic units was provided by Aurora Township Fire Protection District and Aurora Fire Department.