2 taken to hospital, dozens evacuated when smoke fills downtown building

PITTSBURGH — Two people were taken to the hospital and dozens were evacuated from a building in downtown Pittsburgh Tuesday morning after an electrical issue caused smoke to pour out.

Firefighters were called to the building at 525 William Penn Place around 8:30 a.m. and found smoke pouring from an electrical box tied into a generator.

The victims were not injured due to the electrical failure or resulting smoke, but instead felt short of breath as they had to walk down many flights of stairs during a sudden evacuation.

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“We were working at our desk and then we heard over the intercom, and said get your belongings and evacuate the building,” evacuated employee Marjorie Morris said.

With the elevators shut down, Morris and her coworkers began the trek down 24 flights of stairs.

“Once we got to the bottom floors, we smelled smoke,” Morris said.

As crews vented the smoke out and investigated the problem, dozens of employees stood by on the sidewalk - some for more than an hour.

Officials told Channel 11's Liz Kilmer people became short of breath during the evacuation and were taken to the hospital.  Others were treated at the scene.

Cox Media Group