Fire trucks outside the building this afternoon ....

SNF Lab Members and Allen Building Occupants:

A number of you likely saw the PAFD trucks with lights flashing along
Via Pueblo this afternoon.

Some of the crews working in the steam tunnels that run under Via Pueblo
detected an odor that they could not identify and called in PAFD. The
Fire Department investigated all steam tunnels and all surrounding
buildings both in person and with detectors and could not identify
either the source of the odor or what it may have been. There were no
detectable levels registered on the sensors that they have that include
natural gas, hydrogen sulfide and flammable gas. In fact, only the
first people on the scene seemed to have smelled it and later-arriving
personnel were unable to smell/detect anything.

Some SNF lab members and building occupants know that there have been
occasional unpleasant smells in and around the building for the past
couple of months .... often later in the evening or in the early morning
... that have also resisted identification. At this point, we do not
know whether the late night/early morning smell is the same as was
present this afternoon and nobody has been able to identify the source
or the nature of the odor but, whatever it is, it does not register on
available sensors as a toxic or flammable gas. PAFD left the scene
convinced that there was no immediate hazard but also unable to find a
plausible source for these odors.

If you smell any strange odors in and around the building, please let
building staff or University EH&S know in hopes that any strange odors
can be identified.

Thank you for your continued support,

John