The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

OFFICIALS at the Department of Environmental Health Services are still investigating and trying to determine what could have caused the foul odour that made several employees ill at the BAF Building on Queens Highway in Freeport earlier this week.

The building was evacuated around noon on Tuesday and six persons were taken to the Rand Memorial Hospital after complaining of being lightheaded along with nausea and headaches.

Sixteen persons are employed at the BAF Financial and Insurance Building. Some time around 12.15pm, Police Fire Services received a report of an odour emanating from the building. A fire unit, EMS personnel and officials at the Department of Environmental Health responded.

Chief Health Inspector at DEHS Bertha McPhee-Duncanson said that officials returned to the building on Wednesday to continue their investigations.

“We have not identified any particular source responsible for the odour,” she said. “We did a walk around the property and the adjacent property to try to identify a possible source.”

Mrs Duncanson said they were unable to conduct an interior inspection and check on Wednesday because they did not have access to the building.

She said that investigations are continuing.