Dozens of Amazon warehouse employees sickened after robot discharges bear repellent

An Amazon warehouse in Illinois.
(Image credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

One person is in critical condition after a robot in a New Jersey Amazon warehouse punctured a can of bear repellent spray, sending concentrated capsaicin — the major ingredient in pepper spray — into the air.

Officials said 24 employees in Robbinsville Township were sent to area hospitals on Wednesday morning, while 30 more were treated at the warehouse. "All of the impacted employees have been or are expected to be released from hospital within the next 24 hours," Amazon said in a statement Wednesday night. "The safety of our employees is always our top priority and a full investigation is already underway. We'd like to thank all of the first responders who helped with today's incident."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.