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Kellogg Freon Leak Hospitalizes 23 Workers

About 200 people were evacuated from the company's Battle Creek headquarters.

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (AP) — Nearly two dozen workers at Kellogg Co.'s Battle Creek headquarters have been hospitalized as a precaution following a suspected Freon leak.

About 200 people were evacuated about 10:45 a.m. Wednesday from the building and 23 were taken to area hospitals for evaluation.

Fire officials say the leak originated from a pipe near a copier room on the fifth floor of the building's north side. The leak was shut off and the building ventilated.

The Battle Creek Enquirer reports that many of the employees hospitalized worked in a kitchen.

Fire Chief Dave Schmaltz tells the newspaper that the injuries did not appear to be serious.

Freon is a gas or liquid typically used as a refrigerant.

Kellogg is a food manufacturer and breakfast cereal giant based in southern Michigan's Battle Creek.

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