Cal State LA’s Rosser Hall was evacuated on Thursday due to fears of a possible gas leak; an immediate investigation by the Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed there was no such leak.

The Public Safety Department sent out a campus-wide text message to inform students of the incident stating, “Cal State LA Emergency Notification: Possible gas leak Rosser Hall classroom. Officials evacuating impacted areas. Campus remains open. Updates to follow.”

When reached for comment after the initial notification, Cal State LA spokesperson, Robert Lopez, said the campus’s Eagle Alert system will be kept up to date and alert students on the latest details regarding the possible gas leak.

Tommy Luong, resource manager of the College of Natural and Social Sciences, was in the building when he was directly notified about a possible leak.

Inspectors told me they smelled gas originating from Room 256. It didn’t “smell like regular gas,” it had a chemical smell to it, Luong said outside Rosser Hall, while sporting a bright orange vest as he helped in evacuation efforts earlier.

Luong said he was notified about the potential hazard about 10 minutes before the system-wide emergency notification. As part of the evacuation, the building’s PA system was activated. He said one class, including its professor, was not leaving the building in a prompt manner. The professor was storing away lab equipment during evacuation, said Luong.

“Materials can be replaced but not humans. Not you guys,” Luong recalled saying to them.

Health officials and first responders coordinated a response to the incident; Luong said health officials would review the chemical inventory of the building to determine what possible gas, if any, was leaked.

In a follow up update, delivered at least 30 minutes after Luong’s interview, the school announced the Los Angeles Fire Department “discovered no trace of any hazardous substance, no evidence of a spill or leak, and no persons ill.” The updated added, “An all clear has been issued. Normal activities in Rosser Hall can resume.”

UPDATE: Thur. Feb. 6 @ 7:36 p.m.
This story will continue to be updated.