Hackensack police say five female employees of The Shops at Riverside, ages 29 to 41, were revived in Hackensack Wednesday night after ingesting fentanyl.

They say them, along with fire officials and EMS responded to an emergency call around 5:30 p.m. at the mall, reporting that multiple people had been found believed to suffer from overdoses. The incident took place on the lower deck of the parking garage at the mall.

News 12 was told another employee at the shopping center noticed one of the women on the ground near her car while two others were down as well and acted to help.

"They did what they were taught to do and they saved a life , along with these civilians that were on scene," said Hackensack Police Capt. Mike Antista.

News 12 also spoke to another employee who was working during the time of the incident at the mall.

“Last night I was in the kitchen, obviously it's an open kitchen - so I saw there was a lot of fire departments, police driving around,” said Roberto, a chef at The Grill at Riverside.

Police added five female employees of the mall of the ages 29 through 41 used fentanyl and were unconscious. Four of the five women were transported to Hackensack University Medical Center. One of the victims refused medical aid. 

"Were seeing this all over the country," said Hackensack Police Director Ray Guidetti.  "We talk about this as overdoses - but it's more about poisoning. A lot of the folks that are victims of this don't know what they're taking."

Officials acknowledged the evidence found at the scene is at a lab being tested. 

One of the five women involved are in stable, but critical condition.