NC State re-requests federal health investigation into Poe Hall after 5 On Your Side report

North Carolina State University has re-requested an independent federal health investigation for Poe Hall, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms to WRAL 5 On Your Side.

This comes just one week after 5 On Your Side broke that N.C. State was no longer participating in a federal health investigation into Poe Hall, despite the fact that more than 100 people who worked or studied in the building reported serious illness to 5 On Your Side.

WRAL's complete coverage of Poe Hall

The story prompted a swift response from hundreds of people who wondered why N.C. State was not cooperating with an independent human health investigation into the situation.

At the time of last week’s report, the only investigation into Poe Hall was being conducted by a consulting firm, which N.C. State had hired.

The free and independent health investigation is called a Health Hazard Evaluation and can review reports of illness, conduct medical exams or collect building samples at a work site.

“The HHE program, at the request of NCSU…currently has an open HHE request concerning Poe Hall,” a spokesperson with the CDC told 5 On Your Side.

The state health department also confirms that N.C. State is working with the federal government on this investigation.

Once a health hazard evaluation is requested, the CDC must approve it, which they did when N.C. State previously requested a health hazard evaluation last fall.

N.C. State closed Poe Hall in November after testing revealed high levels of PCBs, toxic chemicals now linked to cancer.