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City officials will decide Friday morning whether to reopen the Kalihi-Kapalama Satellite City Hall and driver’s licensing office at City Square after the offices were closed Thursday because of nuisance odors from construction in the complex.
It was the second time in two weeks that odors prompted the closure of the satellite city hall on Dillingham Boulevard. While the driver’s licensing office reopened Thursday afternoon, it closed soon after because a fire alarm prompted another evacuation. The satellite city hall remained closed for the day.
Firefighters were called about 10:20 a.m. to a report of employees and customers complaining of a chemical odor and used special meters to investigate, but could not detect any noxious odors, said Honolulu fire Capt. Terry Seelig.
He said firefighters who investigated suspect the source of the transient odor was exhaust fumes from a generator that construction workers were using outside the building. The fumes apparently entered the ventilation system through an intake vent and spread in the building, causing the workers to experience nausea, headaches and dizziness.
Seelig said the workers were not part of the construction project for a new business between the satellite city hall and Chuck E. Cheese that sent fumes into the ventilation system and prompted the closure of the satellite city hall on Feb. 16-17.
Firefighters ventilated the area.
Two people were treated at the scene and two other people were taken by ambulance to a hospital in serious condition, an Emergency Medical Services supervisor said.
Seven satellite city hall employees reported symptoms such as nausea, headache and itchy throat, said Chase Masuda, city acting administrator for satellite city halls.
The satellite city hall closed for the day.
Five employees went home feeling ill from the licensing office, said Dennis Kamimura, the city’s licensing administrator.
That office did reopen about 1 p.m., but the building was evacuated because of a fire alarm about 3 p.m., apparently set off by construction workers on the roof, Kamimura said. About 40 minutes later, building management still had not given an "all clear" and employees were sent home because it was getting too late to process customers.
"We apologize for the inconvenience to the public that was there," Kamimura said.
Both offices will reassess Friday morning whether it to reopen on Friday.
Satellite city hall customers can go to other locations in Honolulu at Ala Moana Center, Fort Street Mall and Hawaii Kai. There are also satellite offices in Kailua, Kapolei, Pearlridge Center, Wahiawa, Waianae and Windward City Shopping Center.
