High Rise Evacuated After Fire Breaks Out In Parking Garage

DENVER (CBS4) - A fire broke out at a Denver parking garage at 17th and Grant Tuesday afternoon.

Fire officials said the fire broke out just before 2 p.m. in a mechanical room on the fifth floor of the parking garage of the building located at 303 East 17th Avenue.

Three people were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene with one being taken to the hospital. The person's condition hasn't been released.

A large plume of smoke was visible in many areas of the downtown Denver area at 2 p.m.

PHOTO GALLERY: Denver High Rise Fire

The Denver Fire Department said it was a two alarm fire, and that the fire was likely caused by a mechanical problem with the HVAC system.

"Anytime you get something like that, because you're going to have oils, you're going to have rubbers and stuff like that burning; and it's really thick, it's really black, so if you start breathing that stuff in, if you get enough of it, it can be a little toxic to you," a fire official said.

The fire was extinguished in about 20 minutes, but firefighters were concerned about smoke going through the ventilation system of a high rise next door. Firefighters evacuated the next door building and checked all the floors for anyone feeling effects from the smoke.

'So it didn't seem anyone was panicking, everybody just followed the procedures, went down the stairwell, and everybody got out fine," said attorney David Kolko, who works in the high rise.

Some streets were blocked off in the area, which is just north of the state Capitol.

The fire is not considered suspicious in origin.