The City of Milwaukee Health Department ordered the closure and immediate evacuation of an apartment complex on the city's north side.
This comes after the city was alerted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on Friday of a chemical health hazard at the Community Within the Corridor East Block located on 31st and Center.
Elevated levels of the chemical trichloroethylene (TCE) were identified in both occupied and unoccupied residential spaces. Exposure to TCE can cause serious health effects.
As a result of the evacuation, roughly 150 residents will need to find new housing. A public meeting is going to be scheduled in the coming days for residents to provide more information and an opportunity for them to ask questions.
As of 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, all residents had been directly contacted with and related to temporary housing.
A statement released by the Milwaukee Health Department said its focus right now is making sure all residents are safe and finding alternative long-term housing for them.
"The primary focus at this time is to ensure all residents are removed from the initial health threat," the department said. "The Milwaukee Health Department asks for respect for the privacy of residents during the ongoing relocation efforts."
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