'Furry' convention disrupted as 'intentional' gas incident sends 19 to hospitals

[EC]

Several thousand people, some dressed as animal characters, were evacuated from a Hyatt hotel in suburban Rosemont when an “intentional” chlorine gas incident at the hotel, which was hosting the Midwest FurFest convention, sent 19 people to hospitals early Sunday.
lRelated Chemical leak forces hotel evacuation

Breaking News
    Chemical leak forces hotel evacuation

See all related
8

The incident happened around 12:40 a.m. at the Hyatt, at 9300 West Bryn Mawr Avenue in Rosemont, according to a statement from the Rosemont Public Safety Department. First responders were called to investigate a noxious odor that was spreading across the ninth floor of the hotel, where a high level of chlorine gas was discovered in the air, the statement said.

Nineteen people were transported to nearby hospitals after complaining of nausea, dizziness and other medical problems, according to the statement. All people inside the building were temporarily evacuated and sheltered at nearby facilities, including the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.
cComments

    @DB USMC He wasn't. He was simply saying, that this convention is made up of people who are more sensible than those out having "die-ins" all over the country to protest the 200 deaths of blacks by cops each year, while thousands of blacks are being killed by other blacks (and...
    joinamerica
    at 5:28 PM December 07, 2014

Add a comment See all comments
25

Disrupted was an annual weekendlong convention called Midwest FurFest, which celebrates art, literature and performance based around anthropomorphic animals, draws thousands of people every year, according to the Midwest FurFest website.

Hazardous materials technicians found the source of the chlorine gas, what appeared to be powdered chlorine, in a stairwell at the ninth floor, according to a statement from police.

Technicians decontaminated the area and after conducting several tests deemed the area safe within about two hours. People were allowed back into the building about 4:20 a.m., according to a statement from FurFest. Some conventiongoers, some of whom were dressed up as animal characters, stood outside of the building. Hundreds more escaped the chilly weather at other buildings.

"At 1:10 AM the entire hotel was evacuated, first across Bryn Mawr Ave. in front of the Hyatt as per Rosemont Fire Department’s standard procedures, then when it became apparent that the wait would take longer, the Stephens Convention Center was opened to provide warmth and shelter to our guests," according to the FurFest statement.

Thomas Zell, 27, of Arlington Heights, said he was outside with a group of people near the hotel entrance when he saw people being evacuated. Zell said he has been attending FurFest and other conventions in the Hyatt hotel for several years.

“A lot of people thought this was just someone pulling the fire alarm,” Zell said, adding that it is not uncommon for someone to trigger the alarm at such events.  “But it was serious this time,” Zell said.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-19-hospitalized-thousands-evacuated-in-gas-leak-at-rosemont-hotel-20141207-story.html

Practice run? Furries are a bit weird, to say the least, but I doubt there is that level of hate for them.

[Atomic Cow]

Freak convention.  Makes the cos-play nuts look normal.

That said, chlorine gas is nothing to mess around with.

I'd check and see if the hotel has any ongoing issues with a union, or it recently fired a union member.

[alicewonders]

Furries are kind of weird, but they are cute and cuddly!

[mystery-ak]

Furries are kind of weird, but they are cute and cuddly!

Gawd..I'm gonna have nightmares now...creepy

[ABX]

I would make a furry/bronie joke (I think FR has several of them... lol), but chlorine gas is no laughing matter.

[alicewonders]

Gawd..I'm gonna have nightmares now...creepy

Yeah, some of them dress like that when they go out in public - not just at the conventions.......and some of them "mate" like that.     

[mystery-ak]

I guess I live a sheltered life, I have never heard of them....

[ABX]

I guess I live a sheltered life, I have never heard of them....

Bronies are worse than furries. These are not cosplayers; these are people who live a 'fuzzy' lifestyle.

[jmyrlefuller]

I guess I live a sheltered life, I have never heard of them....

Believe me. You are better off not knowing.

[mystery-ak]

Bronies are worse than furries. These are not cosplayers; these are people who live a 'fuzzy' lifestyle.

I'm afraid to ask what a Bronie is...I better goggle them..lol


OMG.....where have I been!

[Atomic Cow]

I'm afraid to ask what a Bronie is...I better goggle them..lol

OMG.....where have I been!

I find those guys to be living examples of de-evolving.  They're not collectors (some My Little Ponies are extremely valuable if in their original packaging due to being very rare), just people who don't even look quite human.

My sister was a pony nut when we were kids.  I used to swap all their heads around, just to annoy her.

[alicewonders]

I'm afraid to ask what a Bronie is...I better goggle them..lol


OMG.....where have I been!

Don't worry, you've been living a normal life.   

[ABX]

I'm afraid to ask what a Bronie is...I better goggle them..lol


OMG.....where have I been!

Wait until you then get into all the furry categories.

FA : Avians
FAA Albatross; FAD Duck; FAE Eagle; FAF Falcon; FAG Seagull; FAH Hawk; FAK Kiwi; FAO Owl; FAR Raven; FAS Sparrow; FAW Wren
FAr : Artiodactyla (two-toed hoofed animals)
FArA Antelope; FArB Buffalo; FArC Cattle; FArD Deer; FArE Camel; FArF Giraffe; FArG Goat; FArL Llama; FArM Moose; FArN Gnu; FArP Pig; FArR Reindeer; FArS Sheep; FArW Warthog; FArZ Gazelle
FC : Canidae (dog family)
FCA Arctic fox; FCC Coyote; FCD Dingo; FCF Fox; FCJ Jackal; FCM Domestic mutt; FCW Wolf; FCX Maned wolf
FCe : Centaurs
FCeH Common (horse-human) centaur; FCeZ Zebra-centaur
FCh : Chiroptera (bat family)
FChF Flying fox or fruit bat; FChV Vampire bat
FCt : Cetacea (whale family)
FCtD Dolphin
FD : Dragons, dinosaurs, and other reptiles
FDA Alligator or crocodile; FDC Coelurosaur (Velociraptor etc); FDD Dragon; FDK Carnosaur (Tyrannosaurus etc); FDL Lizard; FDS Snake; FDT Tortoise or turtle
FE : Equidae (horse family)
FED Donkey; FEH Horse; FEZ Zebra
FEd : Edentata
FEdA Anteater; FEdR Armadillo; FEdS Sloth
FF : Felidae (cat family)
FFB Bobcat; FFC Clouded leopard; FFD Domestic cat; FFH Cheetah; FFJ Jaguar; FFL Lion; FFM Puma/cougar/mountain lion; FFO Ocelot; FFP Leopard/panther; FFS Snow leopard; FFT Tiger; FFV Serval; FFW Wild cat; FFX Lynx
FG : Generic furry
FH : Herpestidae (mongoose family)
FHK Meerkat; FHM Mongoose
FHy : Hyaenidae (hyena family)
FHyH Hyena
FI : Insectivora
FIH Hedgehog; FIM Mole
FL : Lagomorpha (rabbit family)
FLH Hare; FLJ Jackrabbit; FLR Rabbit
FM : Mustelidae (weasel family)
FMA Sable; FMB Badger; FME Ermine/stoat; FMF Ferret; FMK Mink; FMM Marten; FMO Otter; FMP Polecat; FMR Ratel/honey badger; FMS Skunk; FMV Wolverine; FMW Weasel
FMa : Marsupialia
FMaB Wombat; FMaK Kangaroo; FMaO Koala; FMaP Possum; FMaT Tasmanian devil; FMaW Wallaby
FMo : Monotremata
FMoP Platypus
FP : Procyonidae (raccoon family)
FPR Raccoon
FPi : Pinnipedia (seal family)
FPiL Sea lion; FPiS Seal; FPiW Walrus
FPr : Primates
FPrL Lemur
FR : Rodentia
FRB Beaver; FRG Grey squirrel; FRM Mouse; FRP Porcupine; FRR Rat; FRS Red squirrel; FRU Muskrat
FU : Ursidae (bear family)
FUA Polar bear; FUB Black bear; FUG Grizzly bear/brown bear/Kodiak bear; FUP Giant panda
FV : Viverridae (civet family)
FVC Civet
FX : Mythical creatures (other than centaurs and dragons)
FXA Gargoyle; FXC Manticore; FXG Gryphon; FXH Hippogriff; FXM Mermaid/merman
FZ : Polymorph (you change shape at will, with no "normal" shape)
/explanation: FC means you're a canine, but don't fit one of the known species, while FC? means you haven't decided which specific type of canine you are. Similarly, F? means you don't know what kind of furry you are, while FG means you do have a definite shape, but it's just a kind of "generic furry", not any particular species./

general specie types can be further broken down into:
theme types:
c : Cyborg
f : "Funny animal" (toon)
h : Were-human
m : Magical powers (other than those covered by other codes)
p : Polymorph (the given species is your normal form, but you can change shape)
s : Psychic powers
t : Taur (see below)
u : Unicorn
w : Winged (if the species is not normally winged)

human-to-animal(human->animal scale) types:
1 : Basically human, with minor furry features (perhaps eyes, nose, ears, claws, some fur, etc)
2 : Humanoid, with significant furry features (muzzle, tail, etc); this includes centaurs and mer-people
3 : Anthropomorphic animal (or taur)
4 : Equally comfortable on two or four legs (or, if you're a taur, on four or six)
5 : Animal shape, with some unusual features (perhaps hands, speech, etc); this includes most dragons, gryphons, etc
6 : Normal animal shape

relationship(with your furry) types:
a : Just a general "alter ego"
c : A costume I wear
d : Someone to draw pictures of
f : Imaginary friend
m : Online MU* character (FurryMuck, etc)
r : Role-playing game character
s : Guardian spirit or totem
w : Someone to write stories about

[mystery-ak]

I had no idea....just shaking my head in disbelief!

[musiclady]

I guess I live a sheltered life, I have never heard of them....

I swear, we've all been sucked into a very bad Rod Serling script!

Who ARE these people???

[jmyrlefuller]

I had no idea....just shaking my head in disbelief!

We haven't even gotten to the "furbaby" sub-subculture yet. That'll REALLY freak you out.

To this day, I cringe when I see or hear someone refer to their pet miniature dog or cat as their "furbaby." I'm like "Do you even know what that word really means?!"

[aligncare]

Okay, I'll bite. What does it mean?

[jmyrlefuller]

Okay, I'll bite. What does it mean?

Think furries with diapers and baby bottles.

[aligncare]

Think furries with diapers and baby bottles.

Thanks. And now I'm off to fix breakfast .... Well, maybe not.

[rangerrebew]

'Intentional' gas release at Chicago-area hotel hosting 'furries' convention sickens 19



Published December 08, 2014

 | FoxNews.com
 
   
Authorities in suburban Chicago said a release of chlorine gas that sickened 19 people at a hotel hosting a 'furries' convention early Sunday was "intentional."

The source of the gas was apparently chlorine powder left in a ninth-floor stairwell at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare hotel, according to the Rosemont Public Safety Department. Investigators are treating the evacuation as a criminal matter.

The sickened people reported nausea or dizziness.They were treated at local hospitals and at least 18 were released shortly thereafter. The convention-goers, dressed in cartoonish animal costumes, were ushered across the street to a convention center hosting a dog show.

Within hours, emergency workers decontaminated the Hyatt Regency O'Hare and allowed people back inside. Six-foot-tall rabbits, foxes and dragons poured into the lobby, chatting and giving each other high paws.

"I think we'll recover from this," said Kit McCreedy, a 28-year-old from Madison, Wisconsin, his fox tail swinging behind him as he headed back inside for the last day of the Midwest FurFest. "People are tired but they're still full of energy."

While authorities conducted their investigation, organizers tried to assure the participants that the evacuation would not overshadow the convention. But attendees seemed to think the evacuation was part of the fun — particularly those who recalled being herded into the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center as it was hosting a dog show.

"In walk all these people dressed like dogs and foxes," said Pieter Van Hiel, a 40-year-old technical writer from Hamilton, Canada, chuckling as he thought back to the scene.

Others said they did not have a clue as to why anyone would intentionally disrupt the convention that includes dance contests and panel discussions on making the costumes, with some quick to point out that the brightly colored outfits are made from fake fur and foam and not real fur.

"Nobody uses real fur," said Frederic Cesbron, a 35-year-old forklift operator who rode a plane to Chicago from his home in France. He attended the convention dressed head-to-toe in a fox outfit that he said cost him about $2,000 four years ago but would go for $3,000 today.

Attendees said they came for fun, but also for the spiritual and artistic aspects of the convention that have them celebrating animal characters from movies, TV shows, comic books and video games. Some also create their own characters and appreciate being in an atmosphere where nobody seems surprised or shocked by an elaborate, bright purple dragon.

"Everyone is from a different background," said Michael Lynch, a 25-year-old from Madison, Wisconsin, who, like his buddy, McCreedy, dressed as a fox. "Nobody judges anybody. It's nice to come to a place like that."

Or, as Van Hiel put it, "It's kind of weird, but it's not weird here."

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/12/08/chlorine-gas-leak-at-chicago-area-hotel-hosting-furries-convention-sickens-1/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxnews%2Fnational+%28Internal+-+US+Latest+-+Text%29