Employees working in the Capitol got an unexpected 15-minute break Wednesday afternoon when a fire alarm went off just before 2 p.m.
The alarm was not a test and forced more than 100 state employees and visitors to leave while police and a Carson City fire crew investigated.
The only elected official among those standing outside was Gov. Brian Sandoval. None of the others with offices in the building — the Controller, Secretary of state, Treasurer and Lt. Governor — were there at the time.
The alarm was apparently caused when dust from a vacuum set off a smoke detector in the hexagonal Annex behind the Capitol itself.
The alarm was cleared and workers returned after just more than 15 minutes.