The Larnaca tax department building on Spyros Kyprianos avenue was evacuated on Thursday after fumes were detected coming from the sewage system, police said.

At around 12.30pm, a tenant living in a flat within the building used a cleaning agent to clear the sewer pipes, producing strong odours and fumes.

Six tax department employees were inside the building at the time. All were asked to evacuate as a precaution when the fire brigade and police arrived to investigate.

“A precautionary evacuation took place, and a search was conducted throughout the building using breathing apparatus,” the fire brigade said.

A chemical response team was also called in to determine the source of the fumes within the multi-storey building.

The fire brigade reassured the public that the competent authorities are handling the incident and said there was “no need for concern.”