Firefighters at City Carton not sure what led to foul odor

Firefighters and facility workers remain mystified by a foul, acidic odor that led to the evacuation of City Carton Recycling at 901 Ingleside Drive SW Tuesday.

At around 12:28 p.m. facility manager Alan Schumacher ordered the 20 employees to leave the building after workers on the sorting line of the facility were struck by an overwhelming, chemical stench that some thought might be anhydrous ammonia.

Hazmat crews and firefighters spent an hour in the facility with chemical detection equipment and were unable to pinpoint the source or the cause of the stench. They deemed the air levels were safe and workers were able to re-enter after the facility was ventilated at around 1:30 p.m.

No firefighters or employees were harmed during the scare.