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Short Circuit Smokes Election Building

Shortly after Costa Rica began to vote for its new political landscape, people in the offices of the Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE) were startled when smoke began pouring into offices on the third floor.

According to Hector Chaves, director of Costa Rica’s Firefighter Corps, firefighters received the call at 7:59 a.m. Sunday. Nobody was injured, nor were there any damages, Chaves said.

The smoke was caused by a motor that overheated in the ventilation system, causing a short circuit and “a little panic,” Chaves said.

Chaves said that during the manual vote recounting (see separate story), a firefighter unit will be posted at the building 24 hours a day.

 

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