Smoke Forces Evacuation in First Interstate Tower
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Smoke permeated eight floors of the 22-story First Interstate Bank tower in Hollywood Thursday, prompting an evacuation, a city fire spokesman said. About 300 people left the building on Sunset Boulevard shortly before 3:30 p.m. when smoke was detected, said spokesman Jim Wells. There were no injuries and workers were allowed to return about 4 p.m.
A bearing in an air-conditioning unit atop the building overheated and fans distributed the smoke through air ducts from the 15th to the 22nd floors, said Fire Cmdr. Alan Schroeder.
Firefighters shut off the motor and reversed the air conditioner to pump the smoky air out of the building, Schroeder said.
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