Mt. Juliet EMS responds to mass illness at Lebanon Walmart center

Mt. Juliet EMS crews helped triage and transport workers sickened at the Walmart Distribution Center in Lebanon on Sunday, Oct. 11, after what the Wilson County Emergency Management Agency called a suspected food-related illness.

WCEMA said its crews were initially called to the facility for a woman showing symptoms of possible food poisoning, WSMV 4 first reported. Once on scene, the agency requested additional units. Mt. Juliet EMS and Rutherford County EMS both responded to assist.

The distribution center sits in Lebanon, about 30 miles east of Nashville.

Between 25 and 30 patients were triaged at the facility, and 19 were transported to area hospitals, according to WCEMA's Sunday statement.

Those numbers differ from an earlier account. WKRN News 2 reported that WCEMA initially said 120 workers became ill between late Thursday, Oct. 8, and Friday morning, Oct. 9, with approximately 30 hospitalized for nausea and vomiting. WCEMA has not publicly explained the gap between the two sets of figures.

Workers began falling ill late Thursday night with nausea and vomiting, according to WKRN. Symptoms continued into Friday morning. By Sunday afternoon, when WCEMA crews arrived on scene, additional workers were still reporting illness.

The agency said the incident remains under review. As of Sunday evening, neither the Tennessee Department of Health nor the Wilson County Health Department had issued a public statement, according to Food Poison Journal. No specific food, meal, vendor or pathogen has been identified.

Walmart said in a statement that the company is working with local emergency management and health officials as they investigate, and called associate health and safety a top priority.

Wilson County and Lebanon officials did not respond to WKRN's requests for updates on Sunday.

No investigation timeline has been announced. WCEMA Public Information Officer Maegan Eldridge has not released additional details.

Residents who worked at the facility or have information about the illness can contact the Wilson County Health Department.