A BUILDING evacuated twice in 11 days after staff took ill following suspected chemical leaks will reopen today, but no cause has been found.

Essex House in Severalls Business Park, Colchester has been closed since the second incident of staff feeling unwell on July 9.

Part of the building was due to reopen for the first time today*mon* with 24-hour-a-day air quality monitoring.

A spokesman for Essex County Council said: “Teams will return to the building.


“Following several specialist investigations across the entire building we can confirm no hazardous substances, fumes or contaminates have been found inside.

“However, to give confidence in the safety of the working environment, the section of the building where employees originally reported feeling unwell will be sealed off.

"To give further reassurance to staff, air quality monitoring will take place inside the entire building 24-hours a day, seven days a week and appropriate action will be taken should any deviation in readings be detected.”


Essex House is one of Essex County Council’s customer service centres. Staff deal with blue badges for disabled drivers, fostering and adoption and other social care serivces.


A total of 32 people required treatment on June 29 after feeling unwell.


A 400-metre exclusion zone was set up and hundreds of emergency service personnel descended on the business park.


No cause was found and after 48 hours everyone went back to work.


It happened again on July 9 when 12 people needed treatment.


Firefighters carried out tests during the two incidents but did not come to any firm conclusions.


It was suggested poorly maintained air conditioning combined with fumes from a nearby building were to blame.


The Health and Safety Executive will not be investigating.