Foul smelling fridge at University of Kentucky puts 11 in hospital

Foul smells from a fridge at the University of Kentucky have put nearly a dozen people in hospital.

Workers at the Dimock Animal Pathology building were evacuated and then put through a decontamination process by the local fire department.

11 people who reported minor irritation to the skin or eyes, and nausea, were taken to University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital.

Workers reported smelling a strong odour coming from the fridge when they arrived for work on Wednesday. They opened a fridge to an overpowering smell.

University officials say the fridge had been moved from another campus building on Tuesday evening, but no problems were detected at that stage.

University spokeswoman Kathy Jones says officials believe the odour was caused by a chemical residue left by something that had been inside the refrigerator. The building has now been reopened.