Update: Park Tower Now Open After Evacuation

Update 2:47 p.m. April 9: Tampa Fire Rescue gave the all-clear for people to return to Park Tower at 2:30 p.m. today.

Air samples were taken from all 35 floors of the building, a Tampa Police Department media release said. Once the sample results were back, fire rescue "deemed it safe for people to return to work," the release added.

All roads in the area are now open, as well.

Update 2:08 p.m. April 9: The Tampa Police Department says the “foul odor” that led to an evacuation at Park Tower, 400 N. Tampa St., was caused by air conditioning repair work on the fifth-floor parking garage.

Six people inside the building complained of respiratory irritations and two were taken to Tampa General Hospital as a precaution. All 35 floors of the building remain under evacuation as air testing is still going on, Laura McElroy, police department spokeswoman, wrote in a media release.

“Workers were in the process of removing the chiller from the air conditioning system when the incident occurred,” McElroy said. “It appears residual refrigerant was released and caused the fume.”

Earlier:

An evacuation at Park Tower, 400 N. Tampa St., is under way this afternoon, April 9 after Tampa Fire Rescue officials say a “foul odor” was reported in the building.

Few details are available at this time, but The Tampa Tribune says a gas leak is to blame.

Fire rescue noted in a release to media that the odor had caused several people inside the building to feel sick.

Park Tower has 35 floors and was built in 1972, according to the Tampa Downtown Partnership website.

Stay with South Tampa Patch for updates as they become available.