The Chemistry, Astronomy and Physics Building was evacuated late Tuesday afternoon after someone inside smelled an odor and contacted ASU Police, said Kevin Madsen, director of Environmental Health, Safety and Emergency Management at the university.
Everyone was allowed to re-enter the building after a level-to-level check was completed by Boone Fire, ASU Police and university officials.
Madsen said Boone Fire monitored the air quality as soon as they were on scene and that there was never any dangerous level reached.
“There was nothing that was harmful to the students in that building, or the faculty or staff,” Madsen said. “It was erring on the side of caution. We always want to make sure that we’re playing it safe in these situations.”
Assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy Brooke Hester said she pulled the fire alarm after two students and a colleague told her separately that they smelled an odor.
Hester was alerted first by her colleague at approximately 3:30 p.m., and two students said it had worsened by 5:30 p.m.
Senior technology education major Dustin Roten was one of the students who notified Hester. He said he smelled the odor on the second floor, and described it as an “industrial cleaner” smell.
“It kind of gives you a headache after you smell it for a bit,” Roten said. “We tried to figure out what it was but we had to leave. It was coming from the labs next door to us, as well.”
No cause has been determined, though Madsen said there will likely be a determination within 24 hours.
Story: JOSHUA FARMER, Managing Editor