Fire forces evacuation of ritzy Soho House club in Chicago BURSTING water tower on top and flooding elevator shafts as residents flee

A blaze broke out in front of the Soho House hotel in Chicago prompting a complete evacuation.

Plumes of smoke rose out of the exclusive hotel located at 113 North Green Street in the Fulton Market neighborhood while flames shot up from the sidewalk Wednesday morning.

Chicago Fire Department said the source was an electrical vault fire and deemed the situation a level 2 hazmat response.

The building reportedly shook and the water tank on top of the hotel broke sending water rushing down the elevator shaft.

'There was a loud kind of explosion and it smelled like burned coffee actually, not so much just roasting coffee and then the fire alarm went off,' hotel guest Robert Watkins told WLS.

Flames shot up from the sidewalk at 113 North Green Street in the Fulton Market neighborhood

Plumes of smoke rose out of the Soho House hotel in Chicago Wednesday morning

Chicago Fire Department said the source was an electrical vault fire and deemed the situation a level 2 hazmat response

'They went door-to-door, the hotel did a great job getting everybody out. We came out, you could see in the front of the building a huge fire coming out of the manhole on the street, 10 foot high flames, bunch of smoke, a lot of crackling and popping, like small little explosions and they brought us to this side of the street and the fire company showed up.'

Crews successfully put the fire out and continued the evacuation of about 50 guests and employees from the hotel, reported WGN.

Power company ComEd responded to the scene and said the vault has been de-energized.

At least 39 customers are experiencing power outages as a result. No injuries were reported. 

Employees and guests at the members only hotel were sheltered on a Chicago Transit Authority bus

Hotel guest Robert Watkins (pictured) said the explosion smelled like burnt coffee

Fire crews are doing overhauls on vaults and can be scene hosing them down and monitoring CO levels in the building

Employees and guests at the members only hotel were sheltered on a Chicago Transit Authority bus, officials said.

The Soho House Chicago website is still accepting reservations for Wednesday for the hotel, with the cheapest room going for $600 per night - not including the annual fee in the thousands of dollars.

Fire crews are doing overhauls on vaults and can be scene hosing them down and monitoring CO levels in the building. 

Chicago Fire said the air quality is normal and the power is off at the hotel. 

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.