Chapel Hill’s West Franklin Street reopens after smell of smoke reported

West Franklin Street reopened to drivers just as the evening commute got underway Thursday, after an investigation into the smell of smoke shut down the 300 block.

Chapel Hill and Carrboro emergency responders and three firetrucks responded around 3:30 p.m. to The Graduate Hotel at 311 W. Franklin St., at the corner of Kenan and West Franklin streets.

Firetrucks and firefighters reopened traffic lanes in both directions to Franklin Street motorists around 5:10 p.m.

The smell turned out to be an electrical problem, which was under control, and there was no smoke in the building, the town said Thursday evening.. No injuries were reported, town spokesman Alex Carrasquillo said.

The shutdown happened just six hours before the UNC men’s basketball team was expected to tip off against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the NCAA Sweet 16.

The game, being played in Los Angeles, was expected to start at 9:39 p.m. local time on CBS. NCAA games typically bring large crowds to watch the game on Franklin Street.