East Elementary School evacuated due to smoke

ALTON - No student was in any danger after East Elementary School was evacuated around noon Tuesday, Alton Fire Chief Bernie Sebold said.

Sebold said the Alton Fire Department responded to East Elementary School around noon Tuesday in response to the school's smoke detectors alerting them to a possible fire. Sebold said firefighters on the scene arrived to see light smoke, but no fire. Sebold said the smoke was caused by a bearing spinning on an electric motor shaft, which overheated. That bearing was located on an HVAC-related motor in the school's boiler room.

Firefighters were able to clear the smoke from the hallways soon after their arrival to the scene, and students were able to return to normal classes.

"The staff of the school did a really good job evacuating everyone," Sebold said.

The evacuation was done as part of protocol when the smoke alarm sounds.

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