Faulty furnace pumps smoke from downtown Raleigh building

Several 911 callers said they saw smoke suspended above the high-rise building at 336 Fayetteville St. shortly after noon. Smoke poured through the chimney, making it appear as if the building were on fire, Wake County officials said.

Firefighters evacuated workers from the building at 12:25 p.m. and closed streets in the area as a precaution. Workers were allowed back in around 1 p.m.

Firefighters determined that a contractor performing routine maintenance on a boiler caused the smoke. Officials said that there was no fire and no one was injured.

"Wake County would like to commend the city of Raleigh Fire Department for their excellent response to this incident. Their preparedness and emergency response plan to high-rise events was well-executed," Sarah Williamson, a public affairs manager for the county, said in a release.

The building is owned by Wake County and houses the county Board of Elections. It is across the street from the Wake County Jail and Courthouse.