One floor of the hotel at the Chumash Casino Resort was evacuated on Tuesday after a suspicious odor was detected, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

Firefighters responded at about 3:45 p.m. to the resort in Santa Ynez, at 3400 East Highway 246, for a hazardous-condition investigation, said Mike Eliason, a County Fire spokesman.

Crews traced the suspicious odor to a room on the ninth floor, and discovered it appeared to have been used for the use of illegal drugs, Eliason said.

The entire floor was evacuated and the air-conditioning system was shut down, Eliason said.

A hazardous-materials team was called in along with a breathing-support unit, and crews worked to ventilate the room and floor.

Two people were apprehended for allegedly smoking methamphetamine in the room, and they were turned over to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, Eliason said.

Their names were not immediately available.

As of 5:30 p.m., guests were being allowed back into their rooms on the ninth floor, Eliason said.

No further details were available. 

— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.