Three Children Sent To Hospital After West Roxbury Church Evacuated

WEST ROXBURY (CBS) - Three children were taken to the hospital after a West Roxbury church was evacuated late Friday morning.

Ambulances were called to the Holy Name Parish on Centre Street around 11 a.m. after several children complained of feeling light-headed and faint. One child passed out about a half hour into morning Mass.

Three of them went to the hospital with what the fire department described as "non-life-threatening injuries." Five other children were evaluated at the church.

Phyllis McClean, assistant principal at St. Theresa's School, described the students' symptoms.

"Generally not feeling well, a little light-headed, that sort of thing. They were all fine. We took them out for a little air, a little water and just to be on the cautious side, we called the appropriate departments," said McClean.

A hazmat crew responded to inspect the building and found nothing suspicious, a fire official said.

An air quality test came back fine and no serious injuries were reported. No alarms were activated during the incident.

Adults and children were in the church at the time for a scheduled Mass that included students from several area Catholic schools. The Mass was eventually cancelled and the students returned by bus to their respective schools.

Only the children complained of illness, the fire department said. It was not immediately unclear what caused the children to feel faint.