The top five floors of the Hilton Hotel on Broad Street in Boston were evacuated today after strong chemical odors flowed through the ventilation system, the Boston Fire Department said.
No injuries were reported.
“Workers on the roof had some chemicals and solvents on the roof,†said Boston Fire spokesman Steve Macdonald. “One of the containers had a little leak and so there was a chemical reaction.â€
The solvents and chemicals created some smoke and strong fumes that leaked into the hotel’s air conditioning unit, MacDonald said. No fire was reported from the spill.
The top five floors of the 15-story hotel were evacuated as a safety precaution while about 50 firefighters worked to ventilate the structure, the department said.
Most of the guests were allowed to return to their rooms after the air quality was tested and found to be safe, MacDonald said.
Work on the roof was halted while the hotel staff and fire department hazardous material specialists supervised the clean-up. The contractors working on the hotel roof have stopped for the day, MacDonald said.
Jasper can be reached at jasper.craven@globe.com or on Twitter @Jasper_Craven
