ELIZABETHTOWN — Students and staff at East Bladen High were temporarily evacuated Wednesday morning when smoke began to filter into the school.
According to Valerie Newton, public communications and information director for Bladen County Schools, a boiler on the roof began smoking, prompting the evacuation.
“There were no flames,” said Spt. Robert Taylor. “A clogged line in the boiler caused a plume of smoke, so the principal erred on the side of caution and evacuated the buiding, which is the normal precaution.”
Fire department officials gave the “all clear” at about 11:35 a.m. No students or staff were injured in any way during the event.
“The maintenance department will fully assess the boiler before firing it again,” said Taylor. “It appears at this time that it was just a clogged line.”
“This is why we do fire drills and evacuation drills,” he went on to say. “Everything went off without a hitch, and it showed off the great coordination between the sheriff’s office, the fire departments, and the EMS.”
