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PASADENA, Calif. -- A report of two people suffering watery eyes and irritated throats prompted officials Tuesday to evacuate an office building, close down part of North Madison Avenue and call in hazardous materials experts.
The two people were treated outside the building, 65 N. Madison Ave., and released. They declined to be taken to the hospital, officials said. No other injuries were reported.
About 50 to 75 people were evacuated as a precaution, officials said.
Pasadena Fire Department officials received the 9-1-1 call at about 11:47 p.m., sending two engines, two rescue ambulances and two hazardous materials teams, from Burbank and Glendale.
Officials said the two people who reported feeling ill were employees of a dental office on the building's fifth floor.
Dental office employees "were in the kitchen and couple of employees had irritation to the eyes and throat," fire spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.
Haz-mat experts from the Glendale department checked on reports that fumes or odors may have come from a sink in the dental office.
"The odor came from a drain in the kitchen," Derderian said. "The employees were evaluated but did not want to be transported to hospital.
But a sweep of the office and the building failed to pinpoint the source, fire officials said.
"The cause was unfounded," Derderian said. "They still have not determined the reason."
Officials called off their emergency response shortly before 1 p.m., reopening the building and the street.
