CHICAGO, Aug 18 (AFP) - A regional airport in the midwestern United States was closed early Wednesday after six workers were sickened by a liquid that spilled from an unaccompanied piece of luggage, officials said.
A baggage handler and other airport personnel at Indiana's Fort Wayne International Airport who came into contact with the liquid developed rashes and were sent to a hospital shortly after 2:00 a.m. (0700 GMT).
"A couple of workers were suddenly overcome, and started feeling nauseous. Some claimed to have developed skin irritations," said Bob Amber, chief of the Fort Wayne fire department.
Authorities closed the airport and delayed all flights in and out while FBI agents and hazardous material teams worked to identify the substance, Fedeal Bureau of Investigations spokeswoman Wendy Osborne said.
The substance came from a bag belonging to a local doctor, who was apparently traveling back from the Middle East and had become separated from his luggage after he missed a connecting flight from Chicago, the Fort Wayne News Sentinel reported.
The daily, citing an airport official, said preliminary test results showed the substance may have been a chemical used in making perfume.
Initial tests were done at a hazardous materials lab on scene, but those were inconclusive. More samples were sent to an area lab for further testing.