Electrical fire breaks out at The Florida Times-Union building

Flames appear to have been sparked by blown transformer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Times-Union's building on Riverside Avenue was evacuated Thursday morning after an electrical fire broke out.

The fire, which is believed to have been caused by a blown transformer, was reported about 10:45 a.m. Though firefighters quickly put out the flames, it took a couple more hours to ventilate the building.

Employees filing out of the building were met by at least seven fire engines. Reporters said they were allowed to return once the smoke had cleared shortly before 1 p.m.

Newsroom employees broke the news on Twitter. "The Times-Union is smoking," said enterprise reporter Andrew Pantazi.

City Hall reporter Chris Hong posted a photo showing fellow reporter David Bauerlein exiting the building through a smoke-filled hallway: "Meanwhile at 1 Riverside Ave."

"As they say, when your building catches on fire, go to lunch," Hong later quipped.

The transformer fire knocked out power at other locations nearby, according to JEA spokesperson Gerri Boyce. She said JEA will begin restoring power once the smoke has cleared.

Newsroom staff are expected to move to a new location downtown sometime early next year, but in the mean time, they continue to work out of the Riverside Avenue facility.

"This is a great opportunity for the public to show its support for the daily newspaper by subscribing, so that it can maintain a safe working environment for local news reporters," said Pantazi.