NORTHAMPTON — A burned-out elevator fan shut down a portion of Main Street on Tuesday afternoon after fire officials received a report of a possible structure fire.
At around 1:10 p.m., fire officials responded to a report of smokiness in an elevator at 39 Main St., said Deputy Fire Chief Tim McQueston. The smoke had dissipated by the time crews got to the building, he said, and there were no apparent flames.
“It appears as though the motor for the ventilation fan burned out,” McQueston said of the elevator.
One woman complained of smoke inhalation, according to McQueston, but he did not know if she was transported to the hospital.
The portion of Main Street between Pleasant Street and Strong Avenue was closed to traffic for about 30 minutes as crews investigated. The entire building, which spans the length of Oriental Taste to Zephyr Rugs, was evacuated. Everyone was let back in within about 20 minutes.
Some of the smoky scent made its way into the hallways of the second and third floors, McQueston said, but the smell was mostly confined to the elevator.
“The alarm went off, and then in the hallway we could smell smoke,” said Molly Reynolds, director of A Full Circle Adoptions, one of the offices located at 39 Main St.
The elevator should be back in service in a couple of hours, McQueston said at around 1:45 p.m.
Jacquelyn Voghel can be reached at jvoghel@gazettenet.com.