LAGUNA BEACH – Several guests became ill Friday morning after a strong odor consumed a hotel, causing a Hazmat situation and prompting an evacuation, police said.

The perfume-like odor was first noticed around 6:45 a.m. at the La Casa del Camino hotel, at 1289 S. Coast Highway, by hotel staffers who called Laguna Beach Fire Department.

It was unknown what caused the odor, but Orange County Fire Authority Hazmat officials suspect cologne from bottle of cologne left on a heater, causing an irritant to become airborne, OCFA Capt. Shane Sherwood said.

Guests complained of sore throats, itchy eyes and coughing, but none were taken to a hospital, Laguna Beach police Sgt. Tim Kleiser said.

Avila’s El Rachito restaurant and Surf and San Resort hotel offered to let guests inside during the evacuations.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department Bomb Squad robot entered the hotel around 12:30 p.m. to assist and SWAT officials began going room-to-room around 1:45 p.m.

The man inside the room on the third floor – which smelled strongly of the odor – appeared to be sick and shut the door on officials.

Orange County Sheriff’s SWAT officials went inside around 2:30 p.m., but he was not found.

“We don’t know at what point he got out,” Kleiser said. “We think it may be when fire (OCFA) called us.”

Police suspect he checked into the hotel Thursday night and has a DUI arrest warrant.

“If it is the same male we noticed, there was DUI arrest warrant out of Northern California, Kleiser said.

Jennifer Bradshaw, who lives a street away from the hotel, said she also felt ill Friday morning.

“All morning I’ve had a sore throat for no apparent reason,” she said. “A helicopter (was) hovering over my house all morning.”

Authorities began letting motel guests back into their rooms around 4 p.m. after Hazmat crews tested the air, Kleiser said.

“The reading they were getting was zero,” Kleiser said.

One lane of South Coast Highway near Crest Street was closed during the incident.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7802 or aduranty@ocregister.com