Dozens of first responders were at the Museum of Florida History helping evacuate people after the building caught fire, and flames made their way into the walls.
Tallahassee Fire Department spokesperson Todd Inserra said when firefighters got on the scene early Thursday evening, there was smoke throughout the building.
“We worked to cut off the fire from further spreading,” Inserra said.
TFD said the fire originated in “an exterior construction site and extended into the building.”
Because of how large the building is, Inserra said TFD crews are still inside as of 5:10 p.m. inspecting the whole building to ensure the fire is completely out and that the building is fully evacuated.
Once fire gets into the walls, “it can get bad fairly quick,” he said, but the size of the building helped decrease the risk for occupants.
By 6 p.m., Insera said the fire was no longer active.
“We’re just in the process of ventilating everything,” he said. “The fire has been called out, but we’ll be on scene for a long time.”
N. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is closed between W. Pensacola Street and W. Madison Street until further notice.
“Firefighters quickly contained the fire and remain on scene checking for hot spots and any hidden fire extension,” the department wrote on Facebook.
TFD has not officially reported any injuries, but a Tallahassee Democrat photographer saw a woman being rolled out of the building on a gurney. Other employees are gathered in a nearby parking garage watching the first responders work and waiting for answers as to what happened. They declined to comment to a reporter on the scene.
There were initially three fire engines on the scene, but by 5:50 p.m. one left. A law enforcement officer was also seen inspecting the building from the outside.
It is unclear of the extent of the damage to the museum, but the museum has been closed since 2022 for repairs and its 47,000 artifacts were removed to accommodate the work.
A reporter has also reached out to the Department of State, which manages the museum. Thus far, no one is available for comment.
As for what the cause of the fire may have been, Insera said it’s still too early.
“We haven’t begun to investigate yet,” Our investigator is on scene and will begin once it is safe to do so.”
This is a developing story. Check back for details.
Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@tallahassee.com. Follow her on X: @elenabarreraaa.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Fire breaks in walls of Tallahassee’s Museum of Florida History