Fire forces evacuation of Kelly Plaza in north Columbia

COLUMBIA — A fire forced the evacuation of an office building in north Columbia on Monday afternoon.

Firefighters responded to a report of a fire at Kelly Plaza, 1900 N. Providence Road, at approximately 2 p.m., according to Columbia Fire Department Capt. Rick Douglas.

Smoke was discovered on the first and second floors of the building, and firefighters cut off power to the building for about one hour to determine the cause of the smoke, Douglas said.

The fire department determined that the fire was caused by a malfunction with the heating and cooling system motor, which ignited a filter.

Only the building’s ventilation system was damaged, Douglas said, and he estimated the cost of repairs will be less than $1,000.

No one was injured, and occupants were able to return to the building after about an hour and a half.