A B727-200 IN CRUISE DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE CAUSED BY A FAILED E&E COMPARTMENT DOOR SEAL.

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WE HAD BEEN AT FL330 FOR APPROX 35 MINS IN CRUISE WHEN THE CABIN ALT WARNING HORN SOUNDED. WE LOOKED AT THE CABIN ALT INDICATOR ON THE SO'S PANEL; AND NOTED THAT THE CABIN WAS 10500 FT AND CLBING AT 600-700 FPM. ALL ATTEMPTS TO CTL THE CABIN ALT FAILED. WE DONNED OXYGEN MASKS; AS THE CABIN BEGAN TO CLB THROUGH 11000 FT; ESTABLISHED COMS. I IMMEDIATELY NOSED OVER; SPD BRAKES OUT; DSCNT RATE GREATER THAN 6000 FPM. FO DECLARED AN EMER WITH ZKC AND ASKED FOR IMMEDIATE CLRNC TO 10000 FT. THE SO WAS INVOLVED IN THE DEPRESSURIZATION CHKLIST. I WAS GREATLY CONCERNED FOR THE FLT ATTENDANTS' SAFETY; AND HAD THEM SIT DOWN IMMEDIATELY; ALSO CONCERNED THAT THE PAX OXYGEN DEPLOY IF CABIN WENT OVER 14000 FT. CABIN CONTINUED TO CLB UNTIL CABIN AND ACFT ALT WERE BOTH 13000 FT. WE LEVELED AT 10000 FT; TOOK OFF OXYGEN MASKS; FINISHED THE REF ITEMS ON THE CHKLISTS. FIRST FLT ATTENDANT CAME TO COCKPIT TO ASK WHAT HAPPENED AND ALSO TO TELL US THAT 2 PAX HAD PASSED OUT -- 1 WAS STILL UNCONSCIOUS WITH MEDICAL PROBS. FOUND DOCTOR ON BOARD; HAD HIM ATTEND PAX. ANOTHER PAX DECIDED TO SMOKE SINCE HE WAS SURE HE WAS DEAD ALREADY. CONTACTED DISPATCH; ADVISED THEM OF SIT; AND WE AGREED TO DIVERT TO ORD. RECEIVED EXPEDITED PRIORITY HANDLING FROM ATC. LNDG UNEVENTFUL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 403061: THE NEXT DAY MAINT INFORMED US THAT THEY FOUND A BAD SEAL IN THE E&E COMPARTMENT.