DIVERSION TO ANOTHER ARPT AFTER MD80 FLT CREW DECLARES AN EMER FOR FUMES IN CABIN AT FL350; MAKING HIGH SPD APCH TO BNA; TN.

Narrative

AFTER REACHING FL350; THE CAPT AND I BEGAN TO SMELL AN UNUSUAL ODOR AND IMMEDIATELY WE RECEIVED 4 CHIMES FROM THE CABIN. THE CAPT ANSWERED AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE FUMES IN THE CABIN THAT WERE CAUSING EYE AND THROAT IRRITATION TO THE PAX AND CABIN CREW. EMER PROC WAS COMMENCED AND THE CAPT TOOK CTL OF FLYING THE ACFT AND BEGAN A DSCNT. AFTER SEVERAL MORE RPTS FROM THE CABIN OF FUMES; THE OXYGEN WAS DEPLOYED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EMER PROC. AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND WE BEGAN A DIVERT TO BNA. DURING THE DIVERT TO BNA; SPD WAS MAINTAINED AT 320 KTS UNTIL APPROX 2000 FT AND UNTIL NECESSARY TO SLOW FOR LNDG CONFIGN. ACFT WAS LANDED; CHKED BY CFR AND THEN TAXIED TO THE GATE; AT WHICH TIME THE PEOPLE WERE ASKED TO DEPART THE ACFT VIA THE JETBRIDGE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 617988: AN EMER WAS DECLARED WITH ZME AT THIS TIME FOR FURTHER DSCNT AND DIVERSION TO NASHVILLE FOR LNDG. THE ACFT WAS STOPPED ON THE RWY AND EMER EQUIP VISUALLY INSPECTED THE ACFT. THE CARGO COMPARTMENTS WERE ALSO VISUALLY INSPECTED AT THIS TIME WITH NOTHING ABNORMAL RPTED. THE PAX AND CREW DEPLANED THE ACFT WHILE MAINT QUICKLY BOARDED AND THEN DEPLANED AFTER ALSO NOTING AN UNIDENTED SMELL. THE FLT ATTENDANTS RPTED BURNING IN THEIR THROATS AND WERE SENT TO THE HOSPITAL AT THIS TIME. THE ACFT WAS TURNED OVER TO MAINT AT THIS TIME FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION.