Ammonia smell reported at Cedar Rapids police station

CEDAR RAPIDS – Authorities continue to investigate what could have caused an ammonia-type odor in an evidence storage area at the Cedar Rapids Police Department.

A hazardous materials team responded to the maintenance shed at the Police Station around 11:30 a.m. and was still there trying to find the source of the smell at 2:30 p.m.

“It could be just some products that have been sitting for a period of time that are just starting to decompose,” said Dan Dall, acting battalion chief with the Cedar Rapids Fire Department. “That's the best we can figure out right now.”

Dall said police first noticed the odor Monday, and it was even more noticeable today. Firefighters dressed in green suits and orange boots removed and contained some items from the maintenance building, and then and tested them for gases.

“We found some items that we are getting some odors and readings on our monitors, but nothing at a hazardous level,” Dall said. “But we kind of want to remediate it.”

Dall declined to say what kind of evidence they were working with.

Police Sgt. Cristy Hamblin, a police spokeswoman, said larger items that don't fit in storage boxes are housed in the maintenance building.