Office Building Near Orlando Airport Evacuated after Toxic Chemicals Enter HVAC

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on August 15, 2018

Employees working within a large office building close to the Orlando International Airport were involved in a severe chemical accident that resulted in several hospitalizations as well as a large-scale evacuation of the building in question. Early reports form the Orlando Fire Department state that the incident took place in the Citadel Building, located along 5850 T G Lee Boulevard, and that it most likely had to do with work being performed along the building’s roof.

The official line is that the roof of the Citadel Building was undergoing some maintenance — although the reports failed to indicate just what sort of maintenance — when a highly volatile batch of a chemical bonding agent entered the Citadel’s primary ventilation system.

It is not clear just when this incident was discovered, and while it is possible that the people working along the roof itself were able to notify the individuals inside that there was a problem, it is also possible that the issue was only noticed after people within the building began to suffer from symptoms of chemical exposure.

We are also in the dark regarding just how these chemicals entered the HVAC system of the building in the first place, and while it is clear that routine work was being performed on the roof it is not clear why these incredibly toxic chemicals were allowed to go anywhere near to the ventilation ducts controlling the office structure in the first place.

Firefighters with the Orlando Fire Department reported that at least two people were transported from the area to a nearby hospital and that numerous more received treatment at the location for issues stemming from exposure to these highly toxic chemicals. During the evacuation and initial treatment of the workers, Orlando Police worked to ensure that traffic flowed smoothly around the emergency vehicles and the building itself.

At the time of this writing, it is not clear what the official response will be for those most affected by their sudden exposure to these incredibly poisonous substances. It is also not clear if the people who were transported to a hospital were later able to be released or if they are still undergoing treatment.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.