SAINT JOHN – Fire crews were busy early this afternoon dealing with a small fire at the Hilton Hotel in uptown Saint John.

Crews responded to an alarm just before noon, and reported smoke in an elevator shaft and on some upper floors.

They say they eventually found a chair on fire on the twelfth floor.

The hotel was evacuated while officials investigated.

With the exception of the twelfth floor, guests and staff were allowed to re-enter the hotel within an hour.

The cause of the fire is not clear.