Lindenwold Middle School closed for the day as a precaution after an electrical issue with an older fan heater triggered the building's fire alarm, according to the Lindenwold Fire Department. A patrol officer arriving on scene spotted smoke in a stairwell and noticed a burning odor before firefighters traced the source of the trouble.
According to NBC10 Philadelphia, firefighters from Laurel Springs and Lindenwold investigated the alarm and determined that the issue stemmed from an older fan heater inside the school. Police said all other schools in the district remained open that day, limiting the disruption to the single middle school building.
Smoke Reported in Stairwell as Crews Responded
Separate reporting from shorenewsnetwork.com states the Lindenwold Fire Department was called to the school at approximately 6:30 a.m. The first arriving patrol officer observed smoke in the stairwell and detected a burning odor, prompting firefighters from both Lindenwold and the neighboring Laurel Springs department to investigate and ultimately trace the problem to the heater.
The fire department credited the building's fire alarm system with catching the issue early. The same outlet quoted the department's broader point about fire safety systems, noting they are designed for preventing a small issue from becoming a larger one. The department also reminded residents that anyone needing a smoke detector can contact the department at 856-346-0935.
Second Fire-Related Closure in the District in Weeks
The incident at the middle school came just over a month after a fire closed Lindenwold Elementary School 4, forcing that building into a multi-day closure. Officials determined that earlier fire was accidental, and no injuries were reported, according to nbcphiladelphia.com, which reported that the building was deemed safe before fire crews left the scene.
That elementary school fire broke out on Sept. 15 at approximately 7:45 p.m., and district officials decided to cancel in-person classes until Sept. 23 while transitioning students to virtual learning. The Courier Post reported that the fire caused the school to shut its doors starting Sept. 16, with damage affecting fire and smoke conditions, the functionality of life-safety systems, and the building's telephone and public-address systems, according to courierpostonline.com. The missed school day from that closure was made up on Oct. 12.
With two separate fire-related disruptions hitting Lindenwold schools within roughly a month of each other, the district's fire alarm systems and rapid response from local crews have become central to how quickly each situation was contained. In both cases, officials and fire officials emphasized that no one was injured and that the buildings were checked before normal operations resumed.
