3 UNL buildings return to normal operations following odor report

Three buildings on the UNL campus -- Walter Scott Engineering Center, Othmer Hall and Nebraska Hall -- were briefly evacuated Monday following reports of an odor coming from or near a room in Walter Scott Engineering Center.

Police and fire officials were dispatched to the Scott building shortly after 5 p.m. after dispatchers received a report of a sulfur-like odor in the building. Officials asked those inside Scott, Nebraska and Othmer halls to vacate and restricted access to the buildings as they conducted floor-by-floor sweeps.

UNL’s Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) department responded and ventilated the area believed to be the source of the odor. After a thorough search by Lincoln Fire and Rescue and EHS, the cause of the odor was not located. The buildings were re-opened and returned to normal operations at about 10:45 p.m. There were no injuries.

Officials conducted a follow-up sweep of the building early Tuesday morning and detected no hazardous odor. While the likelihood is low, those working in or visiting the building should call UNL Police at 402-472-2222 if they notice any further odors of this type.