Fumes Send School Workers to Hospital

Two employees of the Grossmont Union High School District’s warehouse became “woozy and sick” when they were overcome by fumes while opening a box of textbooks.

Winston Churchill, 42, of Lakeside, and Marci Cayton, 40, of Spring Valley, were taken to Grossmont Hospital where they were listed in good condition Thursday.

Ruth Messing, director of hospital community relations, said the two showed signs of respiratory problems and lightheadedness.

Three other employees at the warehouse at 9600 Milden St. also handled the books and were taken to the hospital where they were examined and released. They were Wilfried Ickert, 41, of Lakeside, Eugene Eby, 65, of El Cajon, and Luzvimindo Laurino, 47, of National City. Two La Mesa police officers also were treated and released.

Bob La Cross, director of operations for the school district, said it was reported that Cayton lost consciousness because of the fumes.

The box contained English books that were shipped via United Parcel Service from a book rebinding company in Missouri.

The box of books was impounded for testing by County Health Department officials. Gary Stephany, chief of environmental health protection, said Churchill had said the chemical smelled like pesticide.

Stephany said the school district had previously called UPS, because the package had not arrived when expected. “A notation (said) that it was damaged in shipment after being lost for a while,” he said.