Fumes from a gasoline-powered saw seeped into the Catawba County Clerk of Court office Wednesday afternoon and caused discomfort among some of the staff, but the effects were temporary.
Newton Fire Chief Kevin Yoder said the maintenance department called firefighters about an unusual smell in the office.
“We noticed a very strong odor and knew something was wrong,” said Al Jean Bogle, Clerk of Court.
“Some of the staff got headaches, a few said their eyes and throats were burning, and I have a couple of people with asthma.”
Bogle said she called the maintenance department to check out the problem, “and the next thing I knew, the fire department was there.”
Yoder said a construction crew was using the saw to cut an opening in the back of the Justice Center and the fumes raised the carbon dioxide level in the clerk’s office.
Bogle elaborated.
“The air conditioner for the courthouse has died, and it will be replaced,” she said.
Catawba County officials brought in a portable chiller (an air handler), and the opening is needed to hook up the temporary unit.
The fumes from the saw got sucked into the ventilation, Bogle said.
She said the odor was only on the first floor, primarily in the clerk’s office.
“You could smell the fumes at the entrance (to the Justice Center),” she said, “but it didn’t get to the second floor.”
Bogle said she had her staff go outside periodically for fresh air while the offices were ventilated by firefighters.
Emergency Medical Services personnel checked out employees.
“Everyone is OK,” Bogle said, “nobody had to go to the hospital.”
She said the plan was for the cutting work to be finished overnight.
“We hope we don’t have that odor tomorrow,” she said Wednesday evening.
“The smell was pretty noxious. The staff was not happy.”
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