Smoke from an HVAC unit triggered an emergency situation Friday afternoon at Lincoln Elementary School.
Emergency response was called and the Manteca Fire Department arrived to the Lincoln campus within minutes to secure the classroom and campus, according to the Manteca Unified School District.
A teacher reportedly smelled smoke coming from the classroom’s HVAC unit and quickly evacuated students to the designated safe zone on campus.
Safety of students and staff was a top priority. Students were never at any point harmed or in danger as staff moved swiftly to follow emergency procedures and the evacuation plan, a district official said.
Students occasionally practice fire drills throughout the year.
In this case, they all knew exactly where to go, remaining in the safe zone following school evacuation procedures.
MUSD sent a letter to parents and members of the Lincoln community later that afternoon, pointing out that no other classroom or facilities were affected.
“All students were accounted for and remained with their teacher at all times,” the letter said.
Lincoln staff remained in constant communication while ensuring that students safely exited the campus and were reunited with their siblings, family or care taker.
The district, meanwhile, is in communication with the maintenance team to address the specific HVAC unit.
