SalemNews.com, Salem, MA

Local News

September 8, 2010

Brush fire smoke evacuates school in North Beverly

BEVERLY — A pair of small brush fires just off Route 128 caused an impromptu fire drill at North Beverly Elementary School yesterday afternoon.

The school's fire alarm did not go off, but all of the nearly 400 students were quickly evacuated from the building.

"We had a couple teachers smell smoke, so we decided to do the safe thing and get everyone out of the building," Principal Jennifer Flewelling said.

The two fires, both off Exit 19, were quickly put out, said Capt. Chris Halloran of the Beverly Fire Department.

"These are the first two brush fires of the year; usually my guys are in the woods for days," he said.

Halloran said the school's fan intake system likely sucked in smoke from the nearby fires.

North Beverly Elementary usually has a planned fire drill early in the school year.

This year, "we're getting a jump on it," Flewelling said. "Each classroom did a wonderful job" during the evacuation.

The students were only out of the classroom about six minutes, then it was back to the books.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local News

North Shore News Updates on Twitter
Stories Shared on Facebook
AP Video
Obama Scraps Birth Control Mandate US Airmen's Killer Sentenced to Life in Germany Navy Names Ship for Gabrielle Giffords Raw Video: Deadly Blasts in Syria Romney Slams President Obama at CPAC Gingrich: Pres. Obama 'waging War on Religion' 5 Killed in Wrong-way Crash on I-10 in La. Uzbek Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Kill Obama Denver's Largest-Ever Drug Bust Nets Dozens Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal $25B Settlement Reached Over Foreclosure Abuses Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Comments Tracker