Nineteen Santa Barbara Half Marathon runners were transported to area hospitals on Sunday, according to the Santa Barbara City Fire Department.

Emergency crews responded to a handful of areas along the parade route, including on State and Cota streets, between 9:40 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.

Battalion Chief Cory Cloud told Noozhawk that emergency crews took 12 people to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and three to Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital.

He said four people self-transported.

Rumors quickly spread on social media that the runners had been drugged or that water stations had been spiked.

However, Santa Barbara Half Marathon Event Director David Monico told Noozhawk that organizers have “no reason to believe that it’s anything more than just the heat and exhaustion from the half marathon.”

He added: “Everything from our medical staff and tent spoke to that as well.”

Monico said it is not unusual to have people transported to the hospital during a “warm day” like Sunday.

“Even on some of our cooler days we’ll have some transports,” he added.

Santa Barbara had a high of 86 degrees on Sunday.

Additional information was not immediately available.

Check back with Noozhawk for updates to this story.