Originally published Feb. 29, 2012 by SacCityExpress.com

Sacramento fire fighters arrived at City College at approximately 4 p.m. in response to the fire alarm being pulled at 3:12 on Feb. 15. Photo by Evan E. Duran.

The investigation into a reported odor of smoke in the Learning Resource Center, which prompted a staff member to pull the building’s  fire alarm on Feb. 15, has resulted in an unknown cause, according to Robert Martinelli vice president of administrative services at City College.

Martinelli confirmed that there was only an odor of smoke in the building and that no flames or smoke were ever present.

“The fire and HVAC personnel suspected that it might have been something outside the building that was drawn into the building through the HVAC system,” said Robert Martinelli, vice president of administrative services for City College, in an email. “[An] investigation of the building HVAC system indicated that [the HVAC system] was not the source of the smell.”

According to Rhonda Rios Kravitz, dean of the LRC, the LRC building was returned to its staff at 4:30 p.m. and was reopened to students at approximately 6:30 p.m. on the evening of the incident.

Martinelli and Kravitz agreed that the situation was thoroughly taken care of and handled properly.

“Given that an alarm was pulled in the building, the reaction of building occupants, first responders and other campus personnel was correct,” Martinelli said. “The building was safely evacuated and campus/district personnel assisted the fire department with their investigation.”