FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Bank of America building in downtown Fort Lauderdale was evacuated Thursday after a fire broke out in a restaurant located inside the building.
"We looked out the side window here, and it was just covered in smoke," Britny Alexander, who was inside the building at the time, said.
Sky 10 was above the scene at 401 E. Las Olas Blvd. as a large group of people stood outside of the building as firefighters arrived.
A Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue representative said the grease fire began on the first floor of the building inside the grill at Grille 401. He said firefighters could see black smoke coming from the restaurant upon arrival.
"When crews arrived, they found heavy black smoke coming from the upper part of the parking garage," Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Capt. Greg May said. "The sprinkler heads activated like they were supposed to, but the fire got in the duct system and traveled the length of the building which is several hundred feet."
All 23 floors of the building were evacuated for several hours.
No injuries were reported.
Firefighters said Grille 401 would be closed for the remainder of the day.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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