JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Smoke from a faulty air-handler motor forced the early-morning evacuation of Crown Point Elementary School on Thursday, DCPS officials said, but all students and staff were safely reunited with families and no injuries were reported.
Watch the full media conference below.
The district said the incident began shortly after 7 a.m. when smoke from a malfunctioning air-handler entered four classrooms. School staff immediately evacuated students and established a reunification point at Mandarin Middle School.
“There were approximately 20 students that had already been dropped off at that time that were safely relocated here to Mandarin Middle School,” Tatyana Wimberly, DCPS chief communications officer, said.
Families were allowed to begin picking up students at 9:45 a.m., the district said.
Corey Wright, deputy superintendent, said Crown Point — a school of about 700 students — saw roughly 120 students rerouted by bus. He thanked the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department and school police for assisting with the evacuation and reunification.
An initial concern that the smoke was caused by an electrical fire was later ruled out, Wimberly said.
“It was a faulty motor of an air handler that created smoke that went into four of the classrooms,” she said.
District officials said they will conduct safety inspections and have hired an independent contractor to review the school before students return. The district also is working to address air-conditioning and maintenance problems affecting multiple schools, which officials blamed in part on extreme heat and deferred maintenance.
“We are working to not just fix, but to replace AC units in some of the schools,” Wimberly said, adding that the chief operating officer will meet with families to outline long-term plans. Families are encouraged to contact their schools or the district communications office with concerns, she said.
School officials said they were focused on keeping students safe and communicating promptly with families during the incident.