MONROE - City Hall was shut down Wednesday afternoon after an explosion of a roof air conditioning compressor filled part of the building with smoke, according to Monroe Fire Department Chief Daryl Rausch.
No one was injured in the event, Monroe Mayor Ron Marsh said.
A little before 1 p.m., Rausch was in his office when a Parks and Recreation Department employee notified him there was an explosion and the building was filling with smoke, he said.
The fire station is at City Hall.
"There was a lot of heavy smoke in the blower room in the basement," Rausch said.
Rausch said it was likely some type of oil used in the air conditioning unit was burning. There were no visible flames.
Since the building was partially filled with smoke, the fire department and Marsh determined it safest to close City Hall for the rest of the day and send employees home, the mayor said.
"We'd just rather play it safe," Marsh said.
City Hall was reopened for business Thursday.
Though much of the smoke was in the lower level, Rausch said it was going to take a few hours Wednesday afternoon to clear each room of smoke.
The situation was under control and fire crews, including a ladder truck which was used to place two firefighters on the roof, cleared the area at about 1:20 p.m., Rausch said.
Employees who evacuated the building waited around in the parking lot to catch a glimpse of the action; some ate lunch, while most seemed to be waiting for word the building would be closed for the rest of the day.
No employees agreed to comment to the Times, citing a "chain of command" at City Hall that all communication must go through the mayor.
City Hall employees followed an emergency management plan for fire response, Marsh said. The city has plans in place for different types of emergencies, including fires and severe weather, he said. The evacuation plan sent employees into a far corner of the City Hall parking lot.
It was a little strange, Rausch admitted, to experience a fire at the fire station.
"I've been in this business for 30 years, and that's a first for me," he said, with a laugh.
No one was injured in the event, Monroe Mayor Ron Marsh said.
A little before 1 p.m., Rausch was in his office when a Parks and Recreation Department employee notified him there was an explosion and the building was filling with smoke, he said.
The fire station is at City Hall.
"There was a lot of heavy smoke in the blower room in the basement," Rausch said.
Rausch said it was likely some type of oil used in the air conditioning unit was burning. There were no visible flames.
Since the building was partially filled with smoke, the fire department and Marsh determined it safest to close City Hall for the rest of the day and send employees home, the mayor said.
"We'd just rather play it safe," Marsh said.
City Hall was reopened for business Thursday.
Though much of the smoke was in the lower level, Rausch said it was going to take a few hours Wednesday afternoon to clear each room of smoke.
The situation was under control and fire crews, including a ladder truck which was used to place two firefighters on the roof, cleared the area at about 1:20 p.m., Rausch said.
Employees who evacuated the building waited around in the parking lot to catch a glimpse of the action; some ate lunch, while most seemed to be waiting for word the building would be closed for the rest of the day.
No employees agreed to comment to the Times, citing a "chain of command" at City Hall that all communication must go through the mayor.
City Hall employees followed an emergency management plan for fire response, Marsh said. The city has plans in place for different types of emergencies, including fires and severe weather, he said. The evacuation plan sent employees into a far corner of the City Hall parking lot.
It was a little strange, Rausch admitted, to experience a fire at the fire station.
"I've been in this business for 30 years, and that's a first for me," he said, with a laugh.