Someone Tried to Gas the Furries with Chlorine at Midwest FurFest Convention in Rosemont

The Midwest FurFest — a gathering of people who dress as furry animals — was disrupted early Sunday by a chemical gassing at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont. The attack on the “furries” is being investigated as an ”intentional act” and a crime.

Nineteen people were sent to the hospital. Ambulances and emergency personnel responded to the hotel at about 1 a.m. as thousands of people were evacuated from the building.

The FurFest convention began Friday and ended Sunday.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the scent of chlorine permeated the 9th and 10th floors of the hotel. Rosemont Public Safety Department, in a statement issued Sunday, said a high level of chlorine gas was discovered in the air. Police told the Chicago Tribune that powdered chlorine was found in a 9th floor stairwell.

The evacuees were taken to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont.

“A lot of people thought this was just someone pulling the fire alarm,” Thomas Zell, 27, of Arlington Heights, a frequent FurFest attendee, told the Tribune. “But it was serious this time.”

Guests returned to the hotel just before 5 a.m.

“Because this was an unforeseen possibly criminal act, Midwest FurFest will not be offering refunds, nor will the Hyatt Regency O’Hare be comping any rooms,” the FurFest organizers said in a statement.