Multiple people taken to the hospital after mass overdose event in Baltimore

Several people were taken to the hospital after an apparent mass overdose in Baltimore, the local firefighters union said on social media post.

The Baltimore City Fire Department responded “to a mass casualty incident involving multiple individuals exhibiting overdose symptoms” in the Penn-North neighborhood iThursday morning, the International Association of Fire Fighters’ Baltimore unit said.

“This tragic event once again underscores the severity of the opioid crisis in Baltimore and the systemic strain it places on emergency services,” the group said.

The Baltimore City Health Department said on Facebook it also responded to the overdose event. The department was distributing Naloxone, a medication that can reverse overdoses, throughout the neighborhood.

As many as 15 people were hospitalized, and five are in critical condition, Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace told NBC News affiliate WBAL-TV. He said the number is expected to change as other overdoses from the area are identified.

It was not immediately clear what the people overdosed on. Their conditions and identities were also not immediately clear.

Officials are still in the area to look for others who might be experiencing a medical emergency and are treating the area as an active crime scene, Deputy Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Jones said, according to WBAL.