Smoke Clears After 88-Unit Apartment Evacuated in Chinatown

The smoke has dissipated at a 12-story Chinatown apartment, which was evacuated earlier this afternoon.

The Boston Fire Department companies began decamping around 2 p.m., after determining the smoke was likely caused by the building's emergency generator.

The 88-unit apartment at Chauncy and Essex Street had a "smoke conidition" Monday morning, the fire department said.

The building was evacuated and nobody was hurt, according to Boston Fire.

It is in the process of ongoing extensive interior and exterior renovations, with scaffolding over the sidewalk outside.

According to Boston Fire, hot gas in building vents "came in contact with combustibles over time, causing smoke and burning."

The incident was listed at two-alarm status to get sufficient manpower for a search of the building for the source of the smoke, the Boston Fire Department said.

Image via Boston Fire Department

Patch has updated this story to reflect the fact this was listed as a "smoke condition," not a fire, as originally reported.