Children among 11 poisoned by toxic mushrooms in ‘mass casualty event’
Children and adults were transported to hospital after ingesting toxic mushrooms in what is being described as a ‘mass casualty’ situation.
The 11 people became ill in Peach Bottom Township, Pennsylvania, at around 9.30pm yesterday evening.
The Delta-Cardiff Volunteer Company Station 57 said in a social media post: ‘Units were advised that 11 people had ingested toxic mushrooms and were all ill.’
The post says that the incident was treated as a ‘mass casualty’ situation and emergency units were dispatched from York, Lancaster and Harford counties.
The Pennsylvania State Police were also in attendance.
The adults and children were taken to WellSpan York Hospital in York and are in a stable condition, according to Delta-Cardiff Fire Chief Laura Taylor.
Peach Bottom Township is located near the Maryland state line about 56 miles southeast of Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania state capital.
Another case involving toxic mushrooms became very famous recently involving Erin Patterson who allegedly killed three people with a poisonous mushroom lunch.
In the latest court hearing, she pleaded not guilty to the alleged murders.
Three of the four guests who attended Patterson’s family meal last July – where beef Wellington was served – died shortly afterwards.
In a case that has gripped Australia, Patterson, 49, was charged with three counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder in November.
She is accused of murdering Don and Gail Patterson – the parents of her estranged husband, Simon Patterson – and his aunt Heather Wilkinson.
Police also alleged she tried to kill Simon on three occasions in 2021 and 2022.
Patterson has long denied wrongdoing.
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