A fire alarm sparked panic and caused an an evacuation of the entire Lindell School building in Long Beach Tuesday morning as residents were trying to vote.
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Long Beach Fire Department Chief Richard Corbett told Patch that the alarm went off at the school at about 10 a.m. and when firefighters arrived at the scene, they found smoke on the second and third floors of the school.
"Upon further investigation we determined that there was something burning in the elevator shaft," Corbett said.
Corbett said that firefighters secured the elevator and disconnected everything electrical.
"The school district electrician is on the scene to keep the building safe," Corbett said. "It was nothing major and everybody is fine."
Corbett told those who had been evacuated to the street that they could reenter the school building at about 10:45 am.
Lindell School is the site of a polling station in the school gymnasium and is hosting a meeting between school district officials and personell to determine when to reopen the schools in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.
Additionally, school board officials are slated to convene Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. for an executive session.
Editor Joseph Kellard is reporting from Long Beach.
Updated at 11:02 a.m. Nov. 6.
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