About 2,000 parishioners evacuated from St. Pete Beach church during Mass

ST. PETE BEACH — About 2,000 parishioners at St. John Vianney Catholic Church were evacuated during Palm Sunday Mass after several people became sick, according to St. Pete Beach Fire officials.

Seven people were treated for dizziness, nausea and fatigue in the incident. Two were taken to Palms of Pasadena Hospital and another two were All Children's Hospital. Their conditions were not immediately available.

Fire officials did not immediately know what was responsible for the evacuation.

Chief Dan Graves said emergency crews found clear liquid below a pew in the second row.

"We're going to proceed with the utmost caution, slowly and methodically," Graves said.

County-wide hazmat technicians in protective gear were at the church at 445 82nd Ave. on Sunday morning. They took samples of the substance to determine what made church-goers sick.

The church was evacuated about two-thirds of the way through mass — about 10:30 a.m. After hearing that the church needed to be evacuated, Father John Blum asked parishioners to exit "quietly and carefully."

Mass continued on at the church's Parish Hall, just north of the church. The 11:30 a.m. mass also took place in the Parish Hall.

via tampabay.com