A Motel 6 in SeaTac was closed down indefinitely Tuesday (Sept. 8th) after pepper spray was released inside a room, sickening several people.

Police say that around 11:40am, a caller reported the presence of a “chemical odor” at the motel, which is located at 18900 47th Ave South. The odor had caused “respiratory distress” for one motel employee, the caller said.

Firefighters responded to the location, utilizing HazMat suits, to evacuate residents.

In all, eight people reported being affected by the chemical discharge. Six were taken to local hospital while the remaining two were treated at the scene.

Police are currently looking for the former occupants of the room as the main suspects.

Firefighters from Kent, South King Fire and Rescue, Tukwila, Renton and the Port of Seattle assisted SeaTac’s finest. Seatac Police, deputies from the King County Sheriff’s Department, units from Medic One and Hazardous Material Response Teams (HMRT) were also involved.

No word yet on when the motel will re-open.