Cause of odor still unknown; residents not allowed inside
Elgin residents who evacuated a 6-flat apartment building in the 1100 block of Ash Drive Monday because of a mysterious odor were unable to return Tuesday.
Elgin code enforcement officials awaited proof of satisfactory air-quality test results before allowing people back inside.
The Elgin Fire Department could not conclude the cause of the odor Monday and once the building was ventilated to remove the smell itself, turned the responsibility of air quality testing over to the building owner.
Assistant Fire Chief Dave Schmidt said the department’s equipment did not detect anything hazardous and the cause of the smell was still unknown Tuesday.
“We detect for radiation, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, cyanide, some WMD items and we have ph paper so we can check for something that’s acid-based,” Schmidt said.
Officials searched every room of every apartment as well as all common areas and did not find any indication of suspicious activity that may have caused the odor, Schmidt said.
Ten people were sent to Provena St. Joseph Hospital with non-life-threatening complaints like dizziness, nausea and lightheadedness, according to Heather Gates, a hospital spokeswoman. All of the residents were treated and released Monday night.
Some emergency personnel experienced chest pains and high blood pressure Monday after entering the building but they, too, were treated and released from area hospitals.
Martha Carlos, senior manager of marketing and communications with the American Red Cross, said a caseworker was assisting 16 people while they were displaced.
Sue Olafson, spokeswoman for the Elgin Police Department, said the building owner must act before residents can return to the building.
“The building remains red-tagged until the property owner has an air quality remediation company determine that it is safe to go back inside,” Olafson said.
The building owner was unable to be reached for comment.