PALM BAY, Florida — The Palm Bay Police Department headquarters were briefly evacuated twice this afternoon due to smoke in an upstairs computer room that twice triggered an alarm.
The first alarm sounded at 12:08 p.m. Fire dispatchers received a call from the alarm company stating that there was smoke in the building located at 130 Malabar Road SE. A contractor working inside an upstairs computer room also reported seeing smoke coming from a row of machines in the same area. The building was evacuated and firefighters responded.
A short time later, firefighters cleared the building and another alarm sounded in the same area. Police say that smoke had filled the computer room and the halon suppression system deployed. Firefighters immediately began ventilating the area and the assistant fire marshal is conducting further investigation into possible causes including the air conditioning system.
The police communications center is located adjacent to the computer room. Dispatch operations were relocated to the mobile command vehicle which is located outside in the northeast parking area of the building. 9-1-1 calls and non- emergency calls have been temporarily diverted to Brevard County during this time.
Police administrative functions including access to public records are temporarily suspended until the situation is resolved.