Something has caused some Auburn city employees to become ill. And while city officials have concluded that it is not from radon in Memorial City Hall, there may be more investigations into possible causes.

According to city Corporation Counsel Andrew Fusco, Auburn fire officials conducted tests between June 20 and 24 to determine radon levels throughout the building. Samples were taken from the first floor and basement of city hall, finding results that are “far less than dangerous,” Fusco said Tuesday.

Trace amounts of the radioactive gas were measured, but the levels were well below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's designated action level of 4 picoCuries per liter, Fusco said.

“That rules out radon as a potential problem,” he said.

Radon is a radioactive noble gas that comes from the decay of radium in the soil, according to the state Department of Health. The colorless and odorless gas comes from materials derived from rocks and soils, such as certain building materials, and has been linked to lung cancer.

The health department recommends homeowners take appropriate action to reduce the amount of radon in a structure if the levels in the lowest primary living area of the home exceed 4 pCi/L.

The tests at city hall were initiated after the local unit Civil Service Employee Association informed the city that a number of employees were reporting illnesses, said Tom Gabak, president of the Auburn CSEA unit.

Gabak would not divulge the specific symptoms Tuesday, saying he wanted to protect the confidentiality of the members. But he did say he and the union have so far been satisfied with the city's response to their concerns.

“I think they have gone out of their way to make sure everyone is safe and happy,” Gabak said. “Every old building has radon, and you are not going to get away from that. But the levels are safe for our members.”

Fusco said while it looks as if radon is not the cause of the employees' health issues, the city is moving forward with an indoor environmental quality assessment any other potential problems at city hall.

“We're taking this pretty seriously,” Fusco said. “We're working with the union (on obtaining information from members) to try and get an accurate gauge of what we're talking about. They have been very helpful.”

A February 2007 study by the state Department of Health found that approximately 5 percent of homes in Auburn and 6 percent in Cayuga County have radon levels exceeding 4 pCi/L. The same study found that 30 percent of Auburn's basements and 31 percent of basements in the county contained radon amounts exceeding the action level.

Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net.