Dozens of dead birds shut down Austin street

Dozens of dead birds shut down Austin street
Workers in haz-mat suits sent to scene in Texas capital

The health department doesn't believe that the dozens of dead birds found in Downtown Austin Monday morning are a threat to public health. But several blocks of Congress Avenue remain closed off to traffic, and if you work in the area, you're being asked to stay home from work until at least noon.

Congress Avenue and one block on either side of the street is shut down from Cesar Chavez to 11th Street until approximately noon. Most of the birds were concentrated around 9th Street.

They still don't know what killed the birds. However, one bird has been sent to a lab in Ames, Iowa, to be tested for avian flu. Another bird is being sent to College Station, Texas, to determine whether it might have been poisoned.

The dead birds included grackles, pigeons and sparrows.

The fire department was called out to the area around 3 a.m. on Monday to test if there had been a gas or chlorine leak, but nothing of that nature was found. However, further precautionary testing is ongoing, and fire officials are requesting that individuals that work in this area not to come in until further notice.

"What the police department has done at this time is shut down Congress [Avenue] at First/Cesar Chavez, as well as one block on either side. We are asking people that work in the area not to come in, because they are not allowed in the area," said Toni Chovanetz with the Austin Police Department.

Several different groups are on the scene, including APD, AFD and the 6th Civil Support Team. That team supports local first-responders and helps determine the nature of an emergency situation