THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, February 13, 1997           TAG: 9702130381
SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT 
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   33 lines

BEACH FUMES EMPTY POLICE HEADQUARTERS ROUTINE SERVICES WERE SUSPENDED, BUT 911 CALLS WERE NOT INTERRUPTED.

The city's police headquarters was evacuated Wednesday after high levels of carbon monoxide were detected in the building, police spokesman Mike Carey said.

No one was reported injured, but 21 employees were checked out by paramedics at the scene. Eight of those employees who suffered from headaches, nausea and dizziness were taken to Virginia Beach General Hospital, where they were treated and released.

Battalion Chief Mike Wade said the fire department received a call at 8:44 a.m. of a possible presence of gas in the building. A hazardous-materials team took a meter reading that indicated the high levels of carbon monoxide.

Officials said the gas appeared to originate in several gas engines that were running on the roof and associated with roof repairs.

The engines were close to the heating system air intake, Wade said.

The building, in the 2500 block of Princess Anne Road, was closed just after 9 a.m. Routine police services were suspended, but the 911 dispatch center was temporarily relocated to a nearby satellite location.

At no time were 911 calls interrupted, Carey said.

The building reopened at 11:30 a.m. ILLUSTRATION: STEVE EARLEY

The Virginian-Pilot

Workers climb to the roof of the Virginia Beach police headquarters

Wednesday. Carbon monoxide was traced to engines on the roof.