ORLANDO, Fla. – Three employees at Orlando International Airport were sent to the hospital Tuesday after being exposed to an hazardous, corrosive liquid at a security checkpoint.

  • 3 hospitalized from 'unknown liquid,' says OIA official
  • TSA says some liquid container had labels that read 'hazard'
  • Official says incident has not affected airport operations

According to Carolyn Fennell with OIA, the incident happened at the screening checkpoints for gates 1-59.

A passenger, who was traveling to Los Angeles, was initially stopped by TSA for carrying 20 bottles full of liquids in her travel bag. 

A spokesperson with TSA said some of the liquid containers read "sodium hydroxide lye beads," "HAZARD" and "do not handle without gloves or protective eyewear."

The owner of the substance claimed it was a form of herbal tea, according to an airport spokesperson.

Four employees at the screening area reported that they felt ill after exposure to the unknown liquid containers and powders. Two TSA agents were taken to a hospital out of an “abundance of precaution,” Fennel said in a statement.

A third person, a contracted airport operations employee, was also taken to the hospital.

For hours Hazmat teams locked down an area of lost and found, where the woman's initial bag was searched. Another bag she had but abandoned in a bathroom was searched as well. 

Hazmat from the Orlando Fire Dept. tested the liquid in the bag and said it was a non-hazardous substance.

There was also a box of hazardous corrosive material in the form of crystals that is often used to create cleaning supplies. But a TSA spokesperson said because of its corrosive behavior, the substance is not allowed at any airports.

For fellow travelers heading to Los Angeles, the idea that ​she tried to bring the bottles on board was alarming.

"I think that's part of it, you need to know what you can and cannot bring on an airplane," said Robert Anhalt, who was raveling to Los Angeles. "I feel like any public transit... I just wouldn't think to bring that anywhere. So that just doesn't really make sense to me."  

The passenger was questioned by FBI and cleared, but was forced to leave the airport and was not allowed to board her flight. 

She may face a civil fine her carrying the hazardous and corrosive material in her luggage.