ANAHEIM : Symptoms Persist in Disneyland Incident

Nearly a week after an eventful trip on Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean fantasy ride, an Arizona woman said Thursday that she is still feeling ill from an unidentified gas that affected about 30 people and temporarily shut down the attraction last weekend.

Karen Skabelund, 47, of Mesa said she has yet to shake a “burning rash” that at different times this week has affected her face, arms and neck.

Skabelund, some family members and others were stricken at 8:20 p.m. Saturday and were evacuated from the attraction.

Disneyland officials said some of the guests on the ride had tightness of the chest and skin irritation. The attraction was reopened later that evening.

The rash continues to be a mystery, as Skabelund said physicians have yet to determine what caused her reaction. She said she was still awaiting the results of more medical tests performed Thursday.

She said a Disneyland official told her earlier this week that the gas may have been a cayenne pepper-based tear gas.

Disneyland spokesman Greg Albrecht said Thursday that the cause is still unknown and that he had heard about Skabelund’s complaint of lingering effects but none from other patrons.

Skabelund’s daughter, Lori Bottomley, 30, of San Bernardino, said Thursday that she too has been suffering from a rash and shortness of breath but has begun to feel better in recent days.

“I was just upset that this ruined my birthday celebration at the park,” Bottomley said.