Evacuation blamed
on fumes from paint

By Gary T. Kubota
Maui correspondent

WAILUKU >> State air-quality officials say the fumes that forced the evacuation of some 80 employees from a county building might have been the result of painting an air duct while it was ventilating.

Officials have recommended taking a number of actions, such as cleaning and maintaining the air ducts by using state Environmental Protection Agency-type vacuum units and covering all access holes in the air-conditioning system.

County spokesperson Karlynn Kawahara yesterday said the county intends to follow the state's recommendations.

Kawahara said the Apana administration is still waiting for reports reviewing the status of mold and mildew in the Kalana Pukui Building and has no plans to reoccupy the structure until it examines results of tests.

The employees in the Planning Department and Land Use Administration have been relocated to other buildings following the Feb. 20 incident.

In mid-March, the Hawaii Government Employees Association asked the state occupational and safety officials to also examine the building to determine if it was safe to reoccupy.

Association senior agent Lee Matsui said state occupational safety officials turned down the request, telling the union that state health officials were more qualified to conduct the tests.

Matsui said he felt the testing was being handled "fine," but acknowledged that some employees remained skeptical about the method used to determine the source of the eye irritation.

"When you don't know, you always have that hidden fear," Matsui said.

"I don't think we'll ever find the cause."