UPDATED: May 23, 2016, 5:05 PM ET
A Planned Parenthood office in Sarasota, Florida was evacuated Monday morning after an “unknown substance” was found in the building.
A statement from police early Monday afternoon said the substance was determined to be baby food, but police later tweeted a clarification at news organizations that the illnesses were caused by “unknown cleaning chemicals.”
During the evacuation, powdered baby food spilled in the stairwell, causing concern that it was the foreign substance causing symptoms before it was identified.
.@joshtpm @TPM Clarification: pic.twitter.com/KCtr4ySvuT
— SarasotaPD (@sarasotapd) May 23, 2016
Seven people were taken to the hospital for evaluation, one declined medical assistance, and 34 others who were in the building were evacuated, Sarasota police said in a statement shortly after 12 p.m. local time.
There is no criminal investigation underway and staffers are expected to re-enter the building later today.
Police were summoned around 10:30 a.m. local time when people in the building were experiencing shortness of breath, WFLA reported.
In a statement, Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida confirmed no patients were on the site.
Two hazmat teams were also on the scene, located at 736 Central Ave.
This story has been updated.
