LAKEWOOD — A disinfectant is being blamed for the evacuation of an apartment building late Thursday afternoon, according to Assistant Fire Chief Steve Mulholland.

Responding firefighters saw a haze on the third floor of the building at 144 John St. around 6 p.m., evacuated the building and called in the hazardous material team from Berkeley, Mulholland said.

The Lakewood Scoop, first to report the incident, said dozens of residents came out of their homes as fire crews from surrounding towns responded.

Mulholland told The Scoop a cleaning company had been in the building and sprayed a biological disinfectant that is used against coronavirus.

One person was hospitalized for exposure to the chemical and four people were treated but declined further medical attention, according to Mulholland.

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