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Illness, Bomb Threat Force Missouri Call Center to Evacuate
[May 07, 2007]

Illness, Bomb Threat Force Missouri Call Center to Evacuate


TMCnet Contributing Editor
 
Heartland Call Center in Farmington, Mo., was evacuated for two days last week due to a mysterious illness and a bomb threat.
 
The first occurred Wednesday when 338 employees of Accent marketing were evacuated after 130 employees experienced difficulty in breathing and eye irritation. Based on reports, 127 were given proper medication and were immediately released. However, three remained in the hospital for observation.


 
Stacy Spradling, the company’s spokesperson was not able to confirm when the employees were expected to return to work. Police were investigating if the recent air-conditioning system maintenance caused the mystery illness.
 
The investigation reached a turning point on Thursday when an unidentified caller using a payphone said there was a bomb in the building. Police later confirmed the bomb threat was bogus and the caller made a reference on the first evacuation incident a day before.
 
The police are yet to confirm if the bomb threat is anyway connected to the mystery illness. "We don't know if it was accidental or caused by someone. We have asked the hospital to check and see if any of the blood samples of the three victims who were admitted might have had anything unusual in it," Farmington Police Chief Rick Baker said.
 
The employees are suspecting that the bomb threat is linked to the information of the company that was made known public after the Wednesday incident. Jason Sampsons, one of Accent marketing customer service representatives, said, "They try to keep it as generic as possible. We're in Missouri, that's about it. It's to try to protect the company. Some customers take offense to billing charges, never know what's happening, people may get angry enough to do something."
 
Employees are worried about this alarming incident and recall the second evacuation day as very stressful. "We were on the phone, and we got a message on the intercom saying disconnect calls, sign out, grab your things, and leave the building,"
 
Authorities encouraged everybody to come forward if they have information they think would help solve the case.
 
Beverly Maniago is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To see more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.
 
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