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An enormous sculpture in the FBI's Miami field office is being blamed for sickening a number of the bureau's workers including the office nurse who had an extreme allergic reaction.

The 17-feet tall red cedar wood sculpture known as 'Cedrus' was installed early last year in the lobby, but soon after the unveiling employees began to feel ill.

Politico reports at least a dozen workers had to go to hospital with most suffering allergic reactions to the cedar dust from the sculpture. 

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The sculpture that was installed at the FBI’s Miami field office was made of Western red cedar sourced from forests near Vancouver, but it also caused allergies in numerous office workers

 

The sculpture — which cost $750,000 — sent 17 people to the hospital due to serious health complications, including the FBI office nurse who was then unable to perform her job

The office nurse had one of the most frightening reaction and developed 'rhinitis, difficulty swallowing, sinus pressure, sneezing, had difficulty breathing and began to itch all over,' according to a letter uncovered by the website.

The nurse who was responsible for 1,000 other members of FBI staff on site was unable to work as she was unable to work in the building while the sculpture was present. 

In another instance, an employee's 'face became very swollen along with their lymph nodes and they developed a fever.' 

It was quickly noted that the complications resolved themselves as soon as they were out of the building for a period of time. 

 

Ursula von Rydingsvard, an artist known for her work with large pieces of wood, created a  piece called 'Cedrus,' designed to resemble a tornado, at a cost of $750,000

 

The 15,000-pound cedar sculpture sat in the lobby of the Miami FBI office. It was removed after months of making FBI workers sick

Although 17 staff were taken ill, Politico suggest government agencies were more concerned with the colossal amount of money that had  been wasted. 

The artist Ursula von Rydingsvard had been contracted to create the work at a cost of $750,000.

But the costs didn't end there. To have the artwork taken away last October cost taxpayers paid an estimated $412,000, bringing the total for the piece's commissioning, installation and removal, close to $1.2 million.

Politico managed to obtain documents that detail how the General Services Administration, an independent agency of the U.S. government that, among other things, leases office space to federal agencies like the FBI, were reluctant to remove the sculpture, despite people getting sick.  

The GSA disputed such a claim stating:  'The GSA is fully committed to ensuring public health and safety in the buildings we manage and maintain on behalf of our federal partners.'

The sculpture has since been moved 1,000 miles to the GSA's fine arts facility in Alexandria, Virginia until it can be decided where best to place the pricey piece of art.