A strong smell led police to what they initially thought was a drug lab at a Long Beach motel Tuesday afternoon, but it turned out to be a false alarm, according to authorities.

Police got a call about a strong chemical odor near Atlantic Avenue and 3rd Street around 1:10 p.m., Long Beach Police spokesman Sgt. Brad Johnson said.

“Upon arrival officers locked down the area, and determined the incident was a possible drug lab,” Johnson said.

Police evacuated the area and drug detectives and hazmat teams descended on the City Center Motel.

It’s unclear what the odor was, but police said they didn’t find any chemicals related to a drug lab when they went into the room where the smell was coming from.

At one point, fire crews hosed down a man in the street outside the hotel.

Johnson said police detained one man while they investigated but later released him.