Smoke from this morning's seven-alarm fire on St. Charles. Ave. is being carried across town on strong winds. The smell was strnog enough that a worker at New Orleans City Hall thought that building was on fire and pulled a fire alarm, prompting an evacuation.
It also has city officials making a public health warning about air quality in the CBD, Gentilly, French Quarter, Treme, Mid-City, Fairgrounds, Seventh Ward, and St. Roch neighborhoods:
Residents, especially sensitive groups including the elderly and people with respiratory diseases, such as asthma, are encouraged to take the following actions to reduce exposure to smoke and particles:
- Stay indoors.
- Keep doors and windows closed.
- Set air-conditioning systems to re-circulate the air inside the building.
- Avoid using exhaust fans if possible.
If you are having difficulty breathing, please seek medical attention.
