Update: Odor Sickens Three at Lincoln Technical Institute

Update 3:30 p.m.

A "respiratory irritant" sickened three people at Lincoln Technical Institute at 5151 Tilghman St., South Whitehall, this morning.

Ambulance crews and fire companies from Cetronia, Allentown, North Whitehall, Emmaus and Macungie responded and set up a decontamination unit.

Classes were canceled for the rest of the day.

Caitlin Stibitz, spokeswoman for Cetronia Ambulance, said two people were transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest and one person to St. Luke's University Hospital-Allentown because of nausea, headaches, dizziness and vomiting.

South Whitehall police said emergency teams responded to a report of an odor in the building with people feeling sick. Hazmat teams entered the building and searched for the cause of the odor but could not determine one. The building was ventilated and the scene released.

Anne Connely, director of education at Lincoln Technical Institute, said people at the school smelled "a foreign odor." It's not yet clear if the people affected were students, staff or both.

The source of the odor has not been determined.

Check back with Patch for updates.

Initial breaking news alerts had said 10 people were sickened.

Student Patricia Carwell of Slatington said she didn't smell anything but she was instructed to leave the building.

The school enrolls students from throughout Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas.

The Allentown campus of LTI offers an associate of specialized technology degree or diploma in these programs:

• Electronic Engineering
• Medical Assisting
• Medical Administration
• Nursing
• PC Systems and Support
• Pharmacy Technician
• Medical Coding and Billing

South Whitehall police said the following agencies responded with emergency personnel: Cetronia Fire Department, Woodlawn Fire Department, Lehigh County Hazmat, Cetronia Ambulance, Allentown City EMS, Emmaus Ambulance, Macungie Ambulance, NOVA Ambulance, Lehigh Valley Hospital Decontamination Unit and South Whitehall Police.