Natural Gas Leak Leaves Wichita Workers Sick

December 21- Dozens of Wichita workers needed medical attention today, after a natural gas leak made them sick.

Employees at the U.S. Postal Service Encoding Center on South Oliver began to notice a strange smell inside the building around 11:00 a.m. "There was an odor in the air, and that odor can cause for some people irritant type reactions," said Curtis Reddington of the Sedgwick County Health Department.

Once paramedics arrived on the scene, they found several workers complaining of headaches and nausea.

Hazardous materials and health department investigators were also called to check out the scene. Their first concern for employees was an exposure to carbon monoxide, but that was soon ruled out. Hazmat investigators say part of the problem began at the corner of Orme & Rutan more than a mile north of the mail facility. A gas leak coupled with a minor leak from a boiler inside the building was just enough for some workers to have a negative reaction.

More than twenty workers were treated at the scene. Seven were taken to Wesley Medical Center for observation. Other were treated at the scene and went back to work.