Mechanical issue sets off fire alarm at downtown bank; Massachusetts Street temporarily closed

A stretch of Massachusetts Street was blocked off Wednesday night as first responders were dispatched to a bank for a fire alarm.

Before you all get excited and hope that a fire cleared out your credit card debt, I’ll tell you right now there was no fire.

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical Division Chief Eve Tolefree said firefighters responded to U.S. Bank at 900 Massachusetts Street for the fire alarm and instead found a mechanical issue.

Inside the building, firefighters discovered burned wiring inside an elevator motor, Tolefree said. The burning activated the fire alarm, she said.

Lawrence Police Department activity logs indicate the alarm was reported at 8:50 p.m. and a total of seven officers arrived on the scene.

Tolefree did not immediately respond to follow-up questions seeking comment on how long the street was blocked off.

Local representatives from U.S. Bank declined to comment on the incident.

And while I’d imagine the elevator issue will be addressed, can you ever really go wrong in taking the stairs?

I report on crime and courts for the Journal-World. I can be reached by email at cswanson@ljworld.com, by phone at (785) 832-7284 or on Twitter @Conrad_Swanson.