Ann Arbor city hall carbon monoxide levels down, but building closed for evening
Carbon monoxide levels are down to safe levels throughout Ann Arbor city hall building now, officials say, hours after the building was evacuated today.
But the building will remain closed and construction at the site will remain suspended as officials investigate the cause of a build up of the gas inside the building earlier today.
City hall is closed for the evening.
Steve Pepple | AnnArbor.com
Ann Arbor police are working out of a mobile command center in the parking lot outside city hall for the evening.
Officials say detectors on several floors began alerting employees earlier today of high levels of carbon monoxide in the building. All employees were evacuated from the building.
One man said he wasn't feeling well and was being monitored, but he wasn't transported to the hospital, said fire department safety officer Gretchen Virlee-Wagner.
Officials suspected the build up might have been caused by a combination of exhaust from construction vehicles in the city hall construction site and the direction the wind was blowing. But officials are also looking into whether it might have come from another source.
About 350 employees work inside the city hall building. At least 70 additional workers involved in the construction of the new police-court building also are on the site.
Tina Reed covers health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at tinareed@annarbor.com, call her at 734-623-2535 or find her on Twitter @TreedinAA.
Comments
Awakened
Thu, Apr 15, 2010 : 8:15 a.m.
All those tax dollars being spent on employees sitting at home. This whole plan was a boondoggle to begin with and it just keeps getting worse. The city took a mortgage out on First and Washington to keep funding the constrution. (More tax dollars to intrest.) Now the costs will probably go up. Where to they get the money? Yep. From your pockets. Now or in the future. We can't stop this project now but lets stop the ones they haven't gone to far with like the $100,000/spot underground parking structure. And get rid of the people who approved this.
annarbor
Thu, Apr 15, 2010 : 7:59 a.m.
City Hall was just closed again due to elevated carbon monoxide levels. Building was evacuated, and employees sent home. Where's OSHA when you need them?
dgomg1
Thu, Apr 15, 2010 : 7:58 a.m.
This whole city hall project has been a debacle from day one. It is way over-priced and only a testament to Fraser. As a tax payer in this city Im outraged at the spending of this Administration and it is time that those on Council and especially King Fraser to be held accountable. I know the next election cycle is going to bring some awareness to those responsible for this mess that continues. It is time for Fraser to see the exit door. My heart goes out to the city employees working in such deplorable conditions. It is time we get people on Council and in the Mayors office who are not afraid to take on Fraser.
belboz
Thu, Apr 15, 2010 : 7:47 a.m.
Uninhabitable for years? Well, it's been habited, so how can you say it is uninhabitable? It may be unhappiable to those who habitate it. But, it was not falling down, and with all of the staffing reductions, ther would be more air space. Just open some windows!
krc
Thu, Apr 15, 2010 : 7:21 a.m.
I just don't see wht they didn't retrofit the old A2 News building while this is going on? Maybe not as simple as it seems, but really. Why have bodies in there at all?
annarbor
Wed, Apr 14, 2010 : 7:56 p.m.
Watched the scenario outside of City Hall today. The Carbon Monoxide level was said to be 500 ppm, the normal being 35 ppm. Heard a firefighter say that fumes at that level can be deadly. The entire building was affected. I felt sorry for the folks that stood outside for hours waiting to get back to their offices.
huh7891
Wed, Apr 14, 2010 : 6:20 p.m.
Must have been the bobcat they were operating in the basement, while the carbon monoxide from the exhaust seeped up to the higher floors...
Aware
Wed, Apr 14, 2010 : 6:10 p.m.
Well, most people don't know the half of it. The conditions of city hall have been uninhabitable for years, in particular the first floor. While the work has been done in city hall the first floor has been covered in dust (containing who knows what), and dirt so thick you could scrap it of the floors. Do you think anyone from the Mayors' office or administrators office Ever cared about those working conditions!! There was radon testing done in the building (basement) and the levels came back three to four times above what is considered acceptable to be exposed to.. There has been a long standing history of problems with city hall. As long as the third floor is kept decent I guess its okay though. Shitarl123- yes you did see "Danger Asbestos" and this was being done while people were still occupying the building (first floor), no only that but the dumpster was placed right outside of a window (on the first floor) WHAT A SHAME!! This is really nothing new to the people who work in city hall (first floor).
Shitari123
Wed, Apr 14, 2010 : 4:58 p.m.
What's all the fuss? You mean people are still working in that building? I saw a dumpster there that said "Danger! Asbestos." That tells me that employees are working in there while asbestos is being removed. What a shame!
a2grateful
Wed, Apr 14, 2010 : 4:31 p.m.
Or, even just the mayor's cubicle...; ) Regardless, glad everyone is OK!
yohan
Wed, Apr 14, 2010 : 4:24 p.m.
Maybe it was all the hot air from the city council meeting rooms?