Staff were evacuated from an office building in Civic this morning after a strong smell sparked fears of a gas leak.
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The smell emanated from a kitchen area in the building, which is located along London Circuit.
Firefighters said the smell was so strong that five people were treated for vomiting and nausea.
About 30 staff were evacuated as a precaution while emergency services monitored the air for dangerous substances.
The office of the ACT Public Trustee was one of the businesses evacuated from the building.
Public Trustee Andrew Taylor said the smell had been circulated around the building by air conditioning.
He likened the smell to natural gas and said his fire safety officers had taken no chances, quickly evacuating staff and alerting emergency services.
Firefighters ventilated the building and gave the all clear about 11am.
Those treated for nausea were not hospitalised, and we're allowed to return to work.