Narrative:

En route approximately 90 mi east of ZZZ at a cruise altitude of FL360; we detected fumes from an unknown source. We declared an emergency; requested the emergency vehicles; accomplished the smoke and fumes removal checklist; and diverted to ZZZ. The approach and landing were uneventful. After landing I requested that the fire/rescue personnel inspect the aircraft. They indicated that they did not observe anything out of order. Fumes were present but not getting worse. Conditions did not warrant an evacuate/evacuation. I elected to taxi back to the gate with an emergency vehicle to follow us. I wanted them to observe the aircraft from their vantage and to assist us with an evacuate/evacuation should our situation worsen. Appropriate follow-up checklist and PA's were accomplished. The flight attendants indicated that the lining of their noses and throats felt irritated. I requested the emt's check them out. The emt's informed me that they had no life threatening problems but it might behoove them to go to the local hospital for a more thorough check out. I concurred and had them take the flight attendants to the hospital. After arrival at gate I contacted the dispatcher; duty pilot; maintenance; and a representative from the chief pilot's office via a conference call to explain what had happened. I went back to the aircraft to make a logbook write-up and together with the help of the agent and first officer took off the passenger's personal belongings.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 PILOT REPORTS DECLARING AN EMER AND DIVERTING TO A NEARBY ARPT WHEN CREW DETECTED FUMES OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN.

Narrative: ENRTE APPROX 90 MI E OF ZZZ AT A CRUISE ALT OF FL360; WE DETECTED FUMES FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE. WE DECLARED AN EMER; REQUESTED THE EMER VEHICLES; ACCOMPLISHED THE SMOKE AND FUMES REMOVAL CHKLIST; AND DIVERTED TO ZZZ. THE APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. AFTER LNDG I REQUESTED THAT THE FIRE/RESCUE PERSONNEL INSPECT THE ACFT. THEY INDICATED THAT THEY DID NOT OBSERVE ANYTHING OUT OF ORDER. FUMES WERE PRESENT BUT NOT GETTING WORSE. CONDITIONS DID NOT WARRANT AN EVAC. I ELECTED TO TAXI BACK TO THE GATE WITH AN EMER VEHICLE TO FOLLOW US. I WANTED THEM TO OBSERVE THE ACFT FROM THEIR VANTAGE AND TO ASSIST US WITH AN EVAC SHOULD OUR SITUATION WORSEN. APPROPRIATE FOLLOW-UP CHKLIST AND PA'S WERE ACCOMPLISHED. THE FLT ATTENDANTS INDICATED THAT THE LINING OF THEIR NOSES AND THROATS FELT IRRITATED. I REQUESTED THE EMT'S CHK THEM OUT. THE EMT'S INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD NO LIFE THREATENING PROBS BUT IT MIGHT BEHOOVE THEM TO GO TO THE LCL HOSPITAL FOR A MORE THOROUGH CHK OUT. I CONCURRED AND HAD THEM TAKE THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO THE HOSPITAL. AFTER ARR AT GATE I CONTACTED THE DISPATCHER; DUTY PLT; MAINT; AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CHIEF PLT'S OFFICE VIA A CONFERENCE CALL TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I WENT BACK TO THE ACFT TO MAKE A LOGBOOK WRITE-UP AND TOGETHER WITH THE HELP OF THE AGENT AND FO TOOK OFF THE PAX'S PERSONAL BELONGINGS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.