MILWAUKEE — Dozens of families said they are looking for answers after being forced to leave their homes due to possible exposure to harmful chemicals.

An apartment building on 32nd and Center Sts. on Milwaukee’s Northwest Side was home to more than 150 people. Now it’s empty. Residents have been moved to temporary housing after trichloroethylene, also known as TCE, was found in the building. TCE is a chemical known to cause cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.

TCE, a colorless liquid, is used in some factories to clean metals. It’s also found in paint removers and adhesives.

Exposure to TCE can cause dizziness, headaches, nausea, sleepiness, and confusion. The longer the exposure, the higher levels of toxicity.

The apartment building, which was previously part of the Briggs and Stratton industrial complex, opened last summer as an affordable housing unit.

The Milwaukee Health Department evacuated the building after the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources noticed levels of TCE from a recent air quality test by an environmental group working with the building’s developer.

“We were aware that there is TCE beneath the building, so we said, ‘You’re going to need to evaluate where vapor is going to be an issue in your building… and confirm your vapor system is operating effectively,’” Christine Sieger, program director for the Wisconsin DNR’s remediation and redevelopment program said.

Investigators said they believe TCE was used at the site and could have seeped into the soil, before evaporating and vaporizing into the air, according to the health department.

Health officials said they are not aware of any health complaints from the building’s residents. However, health officials said they believe the chemical has been present the entire time the apartment building has been in use and will continue to monitor people’s conditions and subsequent care.

Residents will be able to speak with the Wisconsin DNR and Milwaukee Health Department on Tuesday evening.

Spectrum News 1 contacted the property developers for comment but have not received a response.