Nine Bank of Hawaii employees were taken by ambulance to hospitals complaining of nausea and dizziness from the bank's building at Kamokila Boulevard and Wakea Street in Kapolei this morning, officials said.

A wing of the building was evacuated, and the occupants waited at the Kapolei Regional Park, said Bryan Cheplic, city Emergency Services Department spokesman. The workers were allowed back into the building at about 1 p.m., officials said.

In addition to the nine taken to hospitals, another 16 people were treated at the scene and released, Cheplic said. Those affected had complained of headaches, dizziness, nausea and shortness of breath, Cheplic said. Five people were taken in stable condition to Hawaii Medical Center West and four to the Kapiolani Pali Momi Medical Center, he said.

One possible cause of the fumes was spraying by the pest control company Terminix. But Josh Joyce, a Terminix regional manager, said that the chemical that was sprayed should not have caused these reactions in people.

Fire department spokesman Terry Seelig said HFD is investigating all possibilities because the chemical used should not have sickened people. Joyce said the same chemical was used with no serious effect the previous weekend.

Terminix was "investigating this and working with the local authorities," said Clint Briscoe said Terminix employees performed a traditional flea treatment in the building Sunday morning from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The chemicals used were Ultracide, Suspend and Nylar, Briscoe said.

"These were all done according to label guidelines and the treatment was

appropriately used for the flea infestation," Briscoe said.

The building, called Hale o Kapolei, houses other businesses as well Bank of Hawaii, said Stafford Kiguchi, the bank's spokesman. It houses many of the bank's support services and its 24/7 Bankoh by Phone Call Center. Other companies in the building include: Grace Pacific Corp., Hawaii Medical Service Association, Richard T. Pearce and Theo Davies Technology Services, Inc.

HMSA said none of its employees was affected by the odor.

A total of 60 people were evacuated from the second-floor customer service center of Bank of Hawaii. Workers were allowed to re-enter the building, but not to the second floor of the four-story building.