The incident, which reportedly resulted from a blend of powerful cleaning supplies, took place after the 50,000 square-foot wellness center had closed for the night — leaving behind just the staff of World Spa as they scrambled to operate during the chaos.
Authorities received panicked calls from those one the scene at around 10 a.m., who reported a strong smell inside the business, located at 1571 McDonald Ave.
Once first responders arrived on the scene, they classified the situation as a hazmat incident, and tracked down the source of the odor to the building’s basement.
Paramedics took five people to Coney Island hospital for treatment, while fifteen others received treatment on the scene.
World Spa said that the building was deemed safe to reopen after the incident was placed under control at 1:17 a.m., but “out of an abundance of caution,” the spa remained closed on Thursday “to ensure that our employee’s needs are being met.”
Management of the upscale spa said that was “deeply concerned” by the incident, stating that the safety and well-being of its customers and team are its first priority, though avoided engaging in specifics about the factors behind the incident.
“Because of the strict health and safety protocols we have in place, we acted quickly, contacting all relevant authorities to assess and address the situation,” a spokesperson for World Spa said. “Our team fully cooperated with emergency services to ensure all affected staff received necessary medical attention.”
They added that no customers were impacted by the tumultuous incident, and the hospitalized staff members are all expected to make a full recovery.
