San Jose Main Jail Partially Evacuated

No injuries reported in a strong smell of smoke at the main jail in San Jose.

A strong smell of smoke caused a partial evacuation at San Jose's Main Jail Monday.

Jail officials say staff noticed a strong order of smoke in the south portion of the jail around 10:45 a.m.

The jail is just north of downtown San Jose.

Civilian staff were evacuated as a precaution. Some inmates were also moved, according to officials, as well as a cell by cell check of "main jail south" in hopes of locating the source of smoke.

Prisoners were being moved "to other areas internally," according to Mary Gutierrez with the San Jose Fire Department. No inmates were physically evacuated from the jail.

There was no visible smoke, only an odor.

Fire officials were on the scene checking it out for hours.

Around 2:40 p.m. they decided that there wasn't an actual fire.  They allowed the workers back inside the jail to finish their day. Any inmates who were displaced were also placed in their normal cells.

The jail staff was supposed to call if they noticed any additional smell of smoke.

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