Black Smoke Spotted Coming From Russian Consulate Days After Closure Order

SAN FRANCISCO (CBSLA.com/AP) — Fire officials say acrid, black smoke seen pouring from a chimney Friday at the Russian consulate in San Francisco was apparently from a fire burning in a fireplace.

The smoke was seen billowing from the consulate building a day after the Trump administration ordered its closure.

Firefighters who arrived at the scene were not allowed to enter the building Friday.

San Francisco Fire Department spokeswoman Mindy Talamadge says the department received a call about the smoke and sent a crew to investigate but determined the smoke was coming from the chimney.

At one point, someone emerged from the building to say consulate staff was burning unidentified items in a fireplace, according to CBS San Francisco's Doug Sovern.

Russian foreign ministry officials told Sovern the U.S. government intends to search the consulate tomorrow "as well as the homes of consular officials."

San Francisco Fire later put out a tweet stating the embassy "had a fire alarm NOT A FIRE".

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)