Ontario, San Bernardino County, CA: Guests on two floors of La Quinta Inn & Suites in the city of Ontario experienced physical reactions to a possible chemical late Sunday night, Sept. 18, around 11:45 p.m.

Ontario Fire Department with their Hazardous Materials Unit along with Ontario Police Department responded to La Quinta Inn on the 3500 block of Inland Empire Boulevard and Porsche Way for reports of a strong chemical that was affecting the 7th and 8th floors with hotel guests complaining of breathing and throat problems.

Michael, a hotel guest on the 8th floor, who spoke on-camera with Key News Network at the scene, said he was woken out of a dead sleep choking and heard others in the hallway choking, too. He said he felt like he had been pepper sprayed in bed. He stated there was “no smell, nothing at all there.” His nose was running and throat was burning.

An alarm went off at the Inn and it was recommended that guests take the stairs down, not the elevator, to evacuate.

Everyone from the 7th floor and up were evacuated, and everyone from the 6th floor down were told to shelter in place by firefighters.

One hotel guest was transported to a local hospital in unknown condition. Ontario firefighters did have other patients but it is unknown if any were transported.

Ontario PD had a large presence at the scene. It is not currently known, at the time of this report, what triggered the sudden onset of hotel guests’ symptoms.

Randy Dominguez, Video Journalist / KNN

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