Three people have been rushed to hospital after drinking water likely containing disinfectant at a hotel restaurant in Osaka Prefecture. All three reportedly had minor symptoms and have returned home. Two of them were children aged 11 and 14.
A local fire station says the three were among a group of 87 guests dining at the restaurant at Kansai Airport Washington Hotel in Izumisano City on Sunday evening.
Station officials say they received an emergency call from the hotel at around 7:30 p.m. A hotel worker was quoted as telling them that water containing sodium hypochlorite had been served "by mistake," and that some people were feeling unwell.
A total of 16 guests reportedly drank the water served in pitchers.
A hotel official says the restaurant uses sodium hypochlorite solution as a disinfectant for cleaning cloths and other items, but not for tableware.
The official says the restaurant has a special faucet for water containing the disinfectant.
The official says the hotel is trying to pinpoint the cause on suspicion that this water may have been served to the guests.