All clear given after guests evacuated from Lehigh Valley hotel due to hazmat

UPPER SAUCON Twp., Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Guests were barred from entering a hotel in the Lehigh Valley as those inside were evacuated and the building was surrounded by hazmat crews.

Around 8 p.m. Thursday, more than two dozen emergency vehicles and hazmat crews descended upon the Springhill Suites Marriott hotel just off of Route 309 in Upper Saucon Township.

Several guests had reported a faint odor and throat irritation.

Hazmat crews went inside the hotel in protective gear and were sprayed down after walking out.

"Hazmat crews all throughout the area. It was crazy. They weren't allowing people in the hotel at all," guest Edward Greenwald said.

"People were coming out just telling us to get out, the fire alarms were going off. Next thing we knew the hazmat team came here and kept everybody back," guest Ruth Fail said.

Guests were accommodated in nearby hotels, others waited in their cars in the parking lot for what turned out to be nine hours until officials gave the all clear around 5:30 a.m. Friday and they were allowed back in.

"My flight was just really early so by the time I got to the hotel I would have to get there turn around and come back," Fail said.

Officials said after thoroughly testing the air in the hotel, the results came back inconclusive for the cause of the irritant.

Officials said the massive response was just standard procedure and they found nothing of concern.