The UW’s Hall Health Primary Care Center was evacuated at approximately 2:10 p.m. today after employees on the ground floor reported experiencing a burning sensation in their eyes and throat.

The ground floor houses the women’s clinic, sports medicine, physical therapy, women’s studies research and medical records.

According to real-time 911, 29 vehicles were dispatched to respond to the call, including an air unit. The call was initially categorized as a HazMat MCI, meaning mass-casualty incident. However, only a handful of individuals were inspected on the scene and none needed treatment.

Hall Health women’s clinic employees said the individuals who experienced the symptoms were in the south end of the building.

UW Environmental Health and Safety was called to investigate and initially evacuated the basement, said UW Police Department Assistant Chief Ray Wittmier. After conferring with the Seattle Fire Department, the decision was made to evacuate the entire building.

“The Seattle Fire Department doesn’t do hazmat responses halfway,” Wittmier said regarding the number of units that responded. “They do the whole thing as a precaution.”

Hazmat teams entered the building to test the air at approximately 3 p.m. Officials estimated the building would remain closed until at least 4 p.m.

Sophomore Frieda Elliot was on her way to fill a prescription when she heard “deafening sirens” driving through campus.

“I guess I’ll just come back tomorrow,” Elliot said after waiting for about 20 minutes.

A UW Alert was sent to students at 2:29 p.m.

Building manager Benester Fields verified that the person who initially reported the symptoms is now fine, and was able to attend a meeting less than an hour later.

Reach news editor Casey Smith at news@dailyuw.com.