Canadian Quake Prompts Beacon Street Evacuation

Fire officials ordered the evacuation of a medical office building at 1180 Beacon St. shortly after 2 p.m. on June 23 after several tenants reported shaking and moving furniture.

A town inspector eventually deemed the building structurally sound and residents were allowed back in around 3:30 p.m. The west-bound side of Beacon Street was briefly blocked off during the inspection.

Micheal O'Reilly, chief of operations for the Brookline Fire Department, said the shaking may have been caused by a 5.0 earthquake near Quebec, Canada. The quake struck around 1:41 p.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and was felt at several locations around Boston.

The eight-story building was built in 1921, according to the Massachusetts Cultural resources Information System.