EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — Approximately 1,000 employees were evacuated from the Federal Aviation Administration’s William J. Hughes Technical Center Wednesday after the smell of smoke was reported in building’s atrium.
Employees were evacuated at 10:40 a.m. from Building 300, the technical center’s main administration building. Emergency personnel responded, vents were cleared, and the building was reopened about an hour later, FAA spokeswoman Holly Baker said. Building 316, which is attached to Building 300, remained open throughout the incident.
The cause of the problem is under investigation, but it’s believed that electrical issues were involved, Baker said.
A fire at the same building in June resulted in $2.2 million damage, primarily from smoke and water damage on the second a third floors. No foul play is suspected in that incident, but the cause remains under investigation.
The FAA still is awaiting that information in a report by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, which investigates fires at all federal buildings, Baker said.
