Five children assessed by paramedics following hazardous material call at Ottawa daycare

A child under the age of 2 is in serious but stable condition in CHEO after an unexplained series of allergic reactions at a daycare in Ottawa's west end.

Paramedics assessed four other children on the scene after the daycare was evacuated.

Emergency crews responded to a hazardous materials call at the Stepping Up Daycare on Glencoe Street, between Bellman Drive and Midland Crescent, just after 12 p.m. on Wednesday.

Ottawa fire said on Twitter that, "multiple occupants are having a reaction to something inside the building." After conducting air quality readings inside the daycare, it was determined the air was fine, according to officials.

An Ottawa fire spokesperson told CTV News Ottawa the initial investigation suggested a change in the cleaning product caused minor allergic reactions to the children, but now there is a possibility it was caused by a food product. The spokesperson says the cause of the allergic reaction is "still undetermined."

The owner/director of the Stepping Up Daycare says a child suffered an allergic reaction during lunchtime at the daycare. The child was administered Benadryl, and paramedics were called to the scene.

Lindsay Ovington says while paramedics were observing the child, another child ended up with an allergic reaction in a second classroom. A couple of other children started showing hives.

"They wanted us to evacuate out of precaution to see if it was a chemical in the building or anything like that, and they deemed that the building is safe … and it's just a coincidence," Ovington said.

"They truly believe it was an anaphylactic allergy that we'll now have to further investigate with the individual children. We are left to an unknown as to what caused the allergy."

Ovington says staff served a pasta the kids have eaten before, and neither child that suffered a reaction had known allergies.

Paramedics say a girl under the age of two has been transported to CHEO in serious but stable condition.  Four other children under the age of 2 were assessed by paramedics on the scene.

A health inspector will visit the daycare to help determine the cause of the incident.