South Oaks Hospital employees overcome by fumes

Fumes from a concentrated industrial bleach solution sent six employees at the South Oaks Hospital facility in Amityville to the emergency room Monday, officials said.

All the victims were transported to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip with non-life-threatening injuries, Amityville police said.

All were being considered inhalation victims.

A spokeswoman for South Oaks, Mary Jeanne Corea, said the six, all employees, were in a basement area when they were overcome by fumes. She said patients were not affected and, contrary to earlier reports, patients were not evacuated.

Police said the initial 911 call was received at 7:02 a.m.

The call reported a bleach odor coming from the hospital, which, according to its Web site, offers "comprehensive mental health services."

Ambulances and officers were dispatched to the scene - and six people were transported to Good Samaritan.

Corea said the Amityville Fire Department subsequently conducted an inspection of the premises and gave the hospital an "all-clear" at 8:45 a.m.