AN MD80 PARKED AT GATE WITH PAX AND CREW HAD LEAKING HYD FLUID ENTER THE OPERATING APU AIR INLET AND FILL THE PAX CABIN WITH ACRID FUMES.

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I BELIEVE THE SPILLED OR LEAKED HYD FLUID FROM THE PREVIOUS INBOUND FLT WAS BEING SUCKED INTO THE CABIN FROM THE APU. THERE WAS A STRONG SWEET ACETONE SMELL IN THE REAR OF THE CABIN; MOSTLY IN THE GALLEY AREA. PAX WERE NOTICING AND COMPLAINING. WE RPTED IT TO THE CAPT. HE CALLED MECHS ON AND WE DEPLANED PAX. THE 3 FLT ATTENDANTS AND 4 PAX WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR TESTS. I UNDERSTAND THE PLANE WAS TAKEN OTS FOR A WHILE AND TESTED. I UNDERSTAND THAT 3 ACR MGMNT PERSONNEL PUT MORE HYD FLUID IN THE OVERFLOW CUP AND STARTED THE APU AND SAT THERE. THIS WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE SEATS; RUG AND ENTIRE ACFT WAS CONTAMINATED. I DON'T KNOW HOW IT CAME BACK ON LINE; IT IS BACK. YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THIS PROB HAS BEEN ONGOING ON OUR OLD MD80'S WITH HYD LEAKAGE PROBS. OUR UNION IS DESPERATELY TRYING TO CONVINCE THE COMPANY THAT THERE IS A PROB. THESE ACFT NEED TO BE FIXED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THIS IS A PROB THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME AND STILL NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO CORRECT THE INGESTION OF HYD FLUID INTO THE APU. THE RPTR SAID THIS WAS THE RPTR'S FIRST EXPERIENCE OF FUMES IN THE CABIN; BUT OTHER FLT ATTENDANTS HAVE HAD DIRECT EXPOSURE TO THESE FUMES SEVERAL TIMES.