Fire retardant may have caused workers’ itching

The white powder that sickened two workers at an eToys warehouse in Ringgold on Wednesday was a substance used in bean bags and in packaging material for shipping, Ringgold Fire & Rescue Chief Mike Neal said Thursday.

He said the substance may have been sprayed with fire retardant, which could have caused the itching and burning experienced by the two employees who were sent to Danville Regional Medical Center, where they were treated and released.

Preliminary Hazmat testing had determined Wednesday the substance was non-toxic.

Nine employees were unloading baby seats from a tractor-trailer at the warehouse at eToys on Factory Lane when they spotted the substance in the trailer, Neal said.

The Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsylvania County Fire Marshal and state Hazmat members also responded.

A Hazmat official decided seven of those exposed to the substance were OK and told them to go home, bathe and wash their clothes, Neal said.

The items were not unloaded or distributed, according to a company spokeswoman for eToys.