Thomas Breen photos
Firefighters responded to the smell of smoke at a downtown office building, temporarily closing down parts of Elm Street and evacuating dozens of the building’s occupants.
Fire Chief John Alston told the Independent that the fire department received a call at 12:49 p.m. Tuesday about an odor of smoke in the first-floor offices and common area of 59 Elm St. at the corner of Orange.
Alston said city firefighters are still investigating as to whether the source of the smoke smell is electrical or mechanical.
(Update: Alston told the Independent Tuesday night that the source of the odor was a burned out air handler on the first floor.)
“The building has been evacuated” for precaution, he said.
No one has been injured.
As dozens of mostly white-collar workers at 59 Elm St. waited in the building’s lobby, trying to figure out why they had all been asked to leave, Engine 4 stood parked around the corner on Orange Street, its fire hose connected to a nearby hydrant.