PHOTOS: As thick black smoke visible from miles away billowed above a chemical fire in downtown Omaha on Monday night, fire officials recommended residents in the nearby area evacuate.
Omaha Fire confirmed in a report Monday night that a fire broke out in an industrial building near 20th Street and Woolworth Avenue a few minutes before 7 p.m. Monday. OFD officials initially advised sheltering in place, but later sent an emergency alert out recommending those between 13th and 20th streets and Leavenworth to Martha streets evacuated because of “smoke and fire.” Authorities sent an alert out around 10:30 p.m. about an evacuation site that had been set up at the Columbus Community Center, located at 1523 S. 24th St., where Red Cross was on hand to assist, Omaha Fire officials said.
Fire crews initially classified it as a two-alarm fire, officially called at 7:17 p.m., according to the Omaha Fire Department report, and firefighters were able to get inside the building.