WINNIPEG – Maintenance workers testing boilers caused a few tense moments Wednesday night in Winnipeg’s downtown.
Fire and emergency crews rushed to Winnipeg’s Richardson Building at the corner of Portage Avenue and Main Street just before 6 p.m. Wednesday, after what appeared to be smoke was seen billowing from the top floor of the 34-storey office building.
“What was witnessed was steam being released from the boiler as part of an annual pressure test on the equipment,” Bentall Kennedy, manager of the Richardson Building, said in a statement.
The steam caused the the building’s fire alarm to go off.
Many people rushed into the cold when an announcement that “something was under investigation” came over the building’s loudspeaker.
“I was scared, really scared; not now because I’m outside. But what could it be? I don’t know,” said Celina Reyes, who was cleaning offices on the 19th floor when the alarm sounded.
“I have no idea what was going on inside,” Brendan Larosa told Global News in the building’s courtyard after fleeing from the 15th floor. “The fire alarm was going off; I just ran.”
The scene was briefly cleared and everyone was allowed to go back inside, then minutes later the alarm went off again.
Fire officials confirmed there was no fire and the boiler tests caused the steam.
Comments