San Francisco was under an “excessive heat warning” on Friday, but that didn’t stop employees at the Russian consulate from lighting up the fireplace, causing black smoke to billow from the red brick building in the Pacific Heights area of San Francisco on the eve of its closure.
The consulate was ordered by the Trump administration to be closed by Sept. 2 in retaliation for the expulsion of American diplomats from Moscow.
It’s unclear what exactly was going on inside the building, but that didn’t stop Twitter from speculating. Here are some of the best tweets about the smoky situation.
Jennifer Hayden of the Daily Kos tweeted, “A live look inside the Russian consulate in San Francisco, where smoke is reportedly billowing out of the chimney.”
A live look inside the Russian consulate in San Francisco, where smoke is reportedly billowing out of the chimney. pic.twitter.com/fURF11nzq2
— Jennifer Hayden (@Scout_Finch) September 1, 2017
Perhaps consulate employees were simply baking some traditional Russian treats on their last day of work, another Twitter user proposed.
Smoke is seen coming from the #RussianConsulate
In #SF
Maybe there just making Pastilla and Chak-Chak?#BakingtheEvidenceIn pic.twitter.com/JkVPS3ioaY— ladyhawker (@ladyhawkerfinds) September 1, 2017
Washington Examiner commentary writer T. Becket Adams wondered:
The Russians have chosen a new pope? https://t.co/1a5uuGjcox
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) September 1, 2017
NBC Nightly News’ photo of a Russian consulate employee speaking to a San Francisco Fire Department firefighter was ripe for a caption contest:
An official at the Consulate tells firemen that there is no problem after smoke was seen coming from the Consulate’s chimney. pic.twitter.com/HONCf0MT1S
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) September 1, 2017
One Twitter user pointed out that aside from the heat wave, the Bay Area was also under a “Spare the Air” alert due to poor air quality.
Wow. Spy craftwork aside, there’s a #SpareTheAirAlert due to #SanFrancisco #heatwave. Are there #SpareTheAir fines? https://t.co/dj1afhpssB
— Kat Ferreira (@kathrynferreira) September 1, 2017
Others suggested they were burning more than just paper.
The Russian Consulate in San Francisco is burning all the copies of the pee tape!
— John Levenstein (@johnlevenstein) September 1, 2017
— Scott Huffmon (@HuffmonPolitics) September 1, 2017
