“Authorities evacuated the Wisconsin state Capitol building on Tuesday after fire alarms went off moments before a state Senate floor session was scheduled to begin.
The smoke was caused by a malfunctioning air handler, and the Madison Fire Department was investigating, said Olivia Hwang, spokesperson for the state Department of Administration. The building reopened about 15 minutes after fire alarms sounded.
Reporters in the Capitol’s press room, located on the second floor between the Senate and Assembly chambers, noticed a smell in the room similar to burnt rubber about 20 minutes before the 11 a.m. Senate session was set to begin. Moments later the media room filled with smoke and the building’s fire alarms went off.”
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Any time you smell burnt rubber there’s a good chance it’s related to a belt melting. It’s recommended that air handler belts are changed annually as they get a lot of wear during that time. Exceeding this timeframe may cause a situation where the unit fails and potentially causes a smoke hazard.
Temperature Control Specialities has several air handlers available for our commercial customers manufactured by Trane. Call us at (317) 247-7663 to discuss purchasing a unit for your building or office.