Groveland Fire Chief Robert B. Lay.
Groveland fire investigators believe weather conditions and fumes from a construction site caused several workers at a local business to fall ill Thursday.
Up to eight employees at A.W. Chesterton Company, 860 Salem St., Groveland, reported they were not feeling well after they were exposed to fumes from onsite construction, according to a statement Friday evening from Groveland Fire Chief Robert B. Lay. Two Groveland Fire units and three life support ambulances from Trinity Ambulance responded to a 911 call from the company at 10:18 a.m., Thursday. Crews completed ventilation at the building by noon.
“Upon arrival, eight employees expressed that they were feeling ill and having a headache, but all declined to be transported to hospitals,” a spokesperson said. “A.W. Chesterton is in the process of expanding, and while construction workers were laying concrete compound on an adjacent building, weather conditions and airflow caused fumes to be pulled into the company’s main building.”
“Several employees experienced ill effects, so taking the greatest possible care, 911 was called,” said A.W. Chesterton Director of Environmental, Health and Safety Linda Loreth. “The Groveland Fire Department not only responded, but took the extra care and attention to help us air out the building.”
Lay praised the company’s emergency response procedures. “They were prepared for an emergency situation, and thankfully no one was seriously hurt,” he said.