Officials say a woman died by possible suicide this morning following exposure to a toxic chemical at the Hotel Fairmont in downtown San Jose. Eight more people were transported to the hospital for breathing the yet-to-be-identified substance.
@SJFD @SanJosePD @SCCEMSAmbulance on scene of a hazmat at the Fairmont Hotel. Market St. is closed. Media briefing will take place at 1135 Cesar Chavez Park main stage. pic.twitter.com/Ue2tbVppTO
— San Jose Fire Dept. (@SJFD) August 31, 2019
At a midday press conference, San Jose Fire Department Capt. Mitch Matlow told reporters that investigators were still trying to piece together a picture of what happened.
Press briefing on Fairmont Hotel https://t.co/Pl0eIEqKP5
— Katie Nielsen (@KatieKPIX) August 31, 2019
“We do know that there are liquids on the floor of the room and on the counter in the room," he said. “Again, we don’t know if those are mouth wash or if those are hazardous chemicals. Every single puddle is going to have to be tested.”
Firefighters described the chemical as having a “rotten egg” odor, which authorities said could indicate that it was hydrogen sulfide gas.
Officials told reporters that the hazmat case is being investigated as a suicide, and that there is no reason to believe it was terrorism-related.
Fire officials confirm one person is dead following reports of a hazmat situation Saturday at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose. https://t.co/usTsgQkvFO pic.twitter.com/bg4SRtsMCH
— NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) August 31, 2019
According to SJFD, the incident took place around 10am and prompted them to evacuate the 18th, 19th and 20th floors of the hotel. The Mercury News and KTVU reported that first-responders were seen treating a few people outside the hotel and hosing one off with a fire hose before rushing the person away on a gurney.
Decontamination process. Hazmat situation at Fairmont Hotel in San Jose. @KTVU pic.twitter.com/Gqv0W6fShj
— Leigh Martinez (@LeighMartinezTV) August 31, 2019
Public safety personnel also blocked off traffic from Market Street outside the hotel up through the afternoon as the investigated continued.
This article has been updated.
Chemicals from the swimming pool?