False gas alarm empties Senate office

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- A false alarm indicating the presence of nerve gas resulted in the evacuation of 200 people from the U.S. Senate Office Building Tuesday night.

Sgt. Kimberly Schneider, a U.S. Capitol Police spokeswoman, said the sensor sounded about 6:30 p.m., prompting Capitol police to escort everyone inside into the garage across the street.

U.S. Capitol Police, the D.C. fire department's hazmat team, the FBI and D.C. police also responded, the Washington Post reported.

Schneider said the sensor may have been triggered by a cleaning agent, but further tests were being conducted. She said sensors indicated that some agent might have concentrated in the attic.

Capitol Police said in 2004 its hazmat team responded to three to 10 false alarms daily on Capitol Hill involving hazardous material scares.