SHEPHERDSVILLE, KY (WDRB) -- Close to 60 Zappos employees became ill around one o'clock Monday morning as they were eating food served by Masterson's Catering from Louisville. But Bullitt County Health officials say this mystery illness could be anything from something airborne to possibly food poisoning.
"At this time we absolutely know nothing at all about what happened or why people became ill," says Craig Atkins, V.P. of Fulfillment Operations at Zappos.com
Zappos officials are still searching for answers after 57 of their night shift employees fell sick. 28 were taken to area hospitals, the other 29 were treated at the Zappos campus.
"We treat our operation like a family," says Atkins. "So anytime a member of your family gets ill, it's serious."
"Right now the symptoms are pretty much just vomiting and diarrhea," says Dr. Swannie Jett, the Bullitt County Health Department Director. The investigation includes Masterson's Catering. The company just got the food contract job on Thursday. "We're investigating probably a little bit further into the last two or three days what people ate, because it seems like a very isolated incident of what people ate," says Dr. Jett. He says that includes the possibility people got sick from an employee potluck over the weekend. "The investigation is wide open. It's probably going to take us another day or so to have some concrete information."
Masterson's Catering owner talked to WDRB by phone. Andrew Masterson says he's waiting for lab tests results before commenting. He says the company served 3200 employees on Sunday -- the same menu from the same vendor, and no one got sick. Masterson says he takes food safety seriously and it appears Zappos is standing behind them, deciding to let them continue catering.
"We'll be very proactive in our food service catering and what's provided and the procedures that are involved in that," says Atkins.
The health department is looking into the possibility the illness could also be airborne. It could have been something that was introduced through bad hand washing. "It's just hard to tell, it could have been a sick worker prior to right now. It's just hard to tell because we don't have enough information from the hospital," says Dr. Jett.
Samples from sick patients as well as food samples from Masterson's were sent to the state lab for tests. Zappos officials don't believe it's viral. "The building is 18 football fields, so the fact that it could possibly be airborne would be highly unlikely because people are spread out and don't work that closely with one another," says Atkins.
Officials say there is no threat to other employees, and the facility is open and running as normal.
Dr. Jett says folks often get food poisoning around the holidays, so he reminds people to make sure food is stored properly and meat is served at the right temperature.
Copyright 2011 WDRB News. All rights reserved.
Craig Atkins, V.P. of Fulfillment Operations at Zappos.com
Dr. Swannie Jett, Bullitt Co. Health Dept. Dir.
