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PSB evacuated due to air quality concerns

By: Bartley Kives

Posted: 03/3/2010 4:38 PM | Comments: 0 (including replies) | Last Modified: 03/3/2010 4:42 PM | Updates

The Public Safety Building was evacuated early this afternoon after at least several people complained of similar respiratory-related symptoms. Workers had returned to the building by 4 p.m.

WINNIPEG - One Winnipeg police officer and three civilian staff members were taken to hospital after several people in downtown's Public Safety Building complained of symptoms that included difficulty breathing, nausea and coughing, police and fire officials said.

At about 11 a.m., staff on upper floors of the Princess Street building began complaining of ailments akin to having particles in their throats, Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Chief Jim Brennan and police spokesman Const. Jason Michalyshen said.

The immediate area was evacuated and staff received medical attention from the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service’s Mobile Incident Response Vehicle. Four people were transported to hospital, Michalyshen said. All are in stable condition and some have since been released.

By noon, all floors of the Public Safety building were evacuated. Three prisoners were transported to other police facilities, Michalyshen said. Winnipeg police Chief Keith McCaskill told some staff to go home for the day, while others waited across the street at Red River College’s downtown campus.

Hundreds of people work at the Public Safety Building. Workers were allowed to return to the building shortly after 3:30 p.m., after repeated air-quality tests concluded the air in the building is safe to breathe, Michalyshen said.

The cause of the medical ailments remains undetermined. Fire officials will test the air within the building for several more days.

Workplace health and safety officials are also investigating, Michalyshen said.

History

Updated on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 4:05 PM CST: Worker were allowed to return to the building around 4 p.m.

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