Fire Alarm at EJHS Caused by Steam, Not Smoke

Effingham Unit 40 officials are getting the boiler inspected at Effingham Junior High School after a release of steam Tuesday afternoon resulted in an evacuation of the building.

The alarm came shortly after 2:30pm and initial reports were that there was smoke in the boiler room of the junior high building. In the meantime, EJHS students were evacuated onto the JFL football field. A determination that what was seen was actually steam came fairly quickly. Since it was almost the end of the school day, students were allowed back into the building to get the items they were taking home and they boarded the buses or otherwise headed home. The early buses were a few minutes late heading out, but the late buses were on time in their departure.

Unit 40 Superintendent Mark Doan was on scene and said the boiler is providing heat in the building.