The Massachusetts State House was evacuated on Tuesday afternoon, lawmakers, employees and the public all rushed out by sounding alarms, when an electrical fire broke out in the basement.
Aerial footage showed multiple ladder trucks extended over the rear of the State House, and a large crowd of people could be seen standing outside the building.
The state house will remain closed Wednesday, officials said Tuesday evening.
"Out of an abundance of caution while details of today's fire continue to be investigated, the Massachusetts State House will be closed on Wednesday, July 19, 2023," Tammy Kraus, the state house's superintendent, said in a statement. "We're grateful for the efforts of the Boston Fire Department, Mass State Police and DCR Rangers to ensure the safety of all officials, staff and visitors and are working diligently to reopen the building as quickly and safely as possible."
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Multiple political reporters said on Twitter that fire alarms were sounding and the building was evacuated.
Massachusetts State Police said an electrical fire was discovered in the basement of the State House at 2:12 p.m., prompting the evacuation of the building. They said the fire is located in a transformer room and firefighters are venting the room to allow NSTAR to localize and shut off the feed that is believed to have caused the fire.
State police said the fire was confined to the basement and no one was hurt. The exact cause of the fire is under investigation, but state police say it appears to be electrical. The State House remained closed for the evening, though people were allowed back inside for their belongings.
Bowdoin, Beacon and Hancock and Dern streets were closed to the public but have since reopened.
Don Siriani, chief of staff for Sen. Walter Timilty, said there were reports of smoldering electrical equipment.
State House News Service reporter Alison Kuznitz said on Twitter that it was the second fire alarm activation of the day in the building.
At about 2:20 p.m., Department of Conservation and Recreation rangers instructed people who had left the capitol to go to Boston Common and get away from the State House. Rangers also ordered an archway that runs between the original building and its annex to be completely cleared.
A ranger advised people who left the building that it would be a "long time" before people were allowed back in and suggested people find a comfortable place to go. Just before 2:30 p.m., a state trooper said, to cheers from some on Bowdoin Street, that the building was probably going to be closed for a few hours, and possibly the rest of the day.
Gov. Maura Healey was seen walking out of building at 2:23 p.m. carrying a backpack and appeared headed for her car, which was running under the arch near the corner of Mount Vernon and Hancock streets. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll was outside as well and said she was "safe."
On Tuesday morning, the building was briefly evacuated after two people activated an emergency alarm in the capitol, according to the building's management office. An alarm sounded just before 11 a.m., disrupting committee hearings and pushing lawmakers, staff and tourists outside.
Crowds huddled on the sidewalks until they were allowed back inside after around 15 minutes. Officials hadn't yet ascertained why the individuals activated the alarm, and state police are investigating. Half of the House of Representatives' membership was in the middle of a closed-door briefing on a gun law reforms bill and a number of lawmakers appeared to stay inside the House complex during most of the alarm.
Gov. Maura Healey thanked first responders for their quick action.
State Auditor Diana DiZoglio said she was in her office counting previous audits of the Legislature with her team when they heard the fire alarm go off on Tuesday afternoon, following the other fire alarm activation earlier in the day.
"As we were leaving the building, certainly there was a smell that indicated that something was wrong," she said. "And shortly after we were told to evacuate and move away from the building."
"My understanding is there's an electrical fire, that they could hear all of the electrical components actually popping," State Sen. Russell Holmes said. "This is not unusual that we get evacuated out of the building, but today it was something real."
State House News Service contributed to this report.
