ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. -- Nearly 2,000 parishioners were evacuated from a Florida church Sunday after some attending mass there became sick, the St. Petersburg Times reported.
The Palm Sunday Mass at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in St. Pete Beach -- which is about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southwest of Tampa -- was evacuated at around 10:30am local time.
Seven people were taken to local hospitals and treated for nausea, dizziness and fatigue. Their conditions were not yet known.
The mass resumed at the parish hall, Tampa Bay Online reported.
Fire officials did not immediately know what made the parishioners sick. Fire Chief Dan Graves said a clear liquid was found underneath a second-row pew.
Hazardous materials technicians took samples of the liquid Sunday for analysis.
Emergency crews were proceeding "with the utmost caution, slowly and methodically," Graves said.
Click here to read more on this story from The St. Petersburg Times.
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
