Mysterious odor forces closure of Yosemite hotel

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) - Officials still don't know what caused a noxious odor in the main building of Yosemite National Park's Wawona Hotel, sickening staff and causing the facility to close.

A spokesman for Delaware North Companies, which runs the hotel, says guests and staff were evacuated from the building for about eight hours Tuesday after the odor was detected in a guest room.

The foul smell caused some housekeepers to experience nausea and watery eyes. They were treated at the scene.

Hotel spokesman Kenny Karst says the Merced County health department was unable to determine the cause of the irritant.

He says everything in the guest room, including the drapes, have been thoroughly cleaned, and there hasn't been another incident since Tuesday.