| A dozen revellers were hospitalised after being gassed by a mystery chemical in a South Melbourne pub early yesterday. Dancers at the packed Wayside Inn were overcome by fumes gushing out of air conditioning ducts at 1.30am. The spray, thought to be Mace or capsicum spray, was believed to have been fed into roof ducts. An intruder was reportedly seen on the roof moments before the attack, which could have been malicious or a prank gone wrong, police said. The attack left many gasping, temporarily blinded and nauseous. Paramedics treated 16 victims for nausea, headaches, stomach pains, breathing problems and sore eyes, ambulance spokeswoman Liz Tunnecliffe said. Some needed oxygen. |