Eight children were hospitalized Tuesday evening in Cambridge, Massachusetts, after exhibiting seizure-like symptoms during a choir concert held at St. Paul's Parish. According to Fire Chief Thomas Cahill, the incident began around 7pm when a call came in about a child experiencing a seizure while participating in the free performance. The child was found alert on the church's steps when responders arrived. "That quickly escalated into seven other people having seizure-like symptoms," Cahill told WCVB.
Attendees, including several students and adults, reported a strange odor inside the building. However, emergency crews detected nothing unusual upon arrival. All affected children—ages 11 to 13 and visiting from France as part of the distinguished Choeur d'Enfants d'Ile-de-France, per ABC News, were taken to local hospitals as a precaution. Cahill described the event as "somewhat unusual," noting that it was a standard medical call that rapidly became more serious, per WCVB.
A hazmat team inspected the church but found no hazardous substances, reports WHDH, and the building was ventilated before being cleared for use. Roughly 70 others at the concert, including chaperones and other children, showed no symptoms and left safely. The hospitalized children appeared healthy prior to being hospitalized and were subsequently released. The cause of their sudden symptoms remains unknown.
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