Atlanta Fire Rescue Sgt. Cortez Stafford said that a pipe burst, causing a loud bang and popping ceiling tiles at Cleveland Avenue Elementary School.
Updated Wednesday at 3:04 p.m.
A pipe burst with a loud bang at an Atlanta elementary school early Wednesday, prompting officials to evacuate students, authorities said.
Fire officials were called to Cleveland Avenue Elementary School south of downtown Atlanta and no injuries were reported.
When the pipe burst, it caused a loud bang and popped some ceiling tiles, Atlanta Fire Rescue Sgt. Cortez Stafford told reporters.
“So it did scare a lot of people in the school at the time,” Stafford said.
The problem involved the school’s air conditioning system. It caused a loud noise in the cafeteria, Atlanta Public Schools spokeswoman Latisha Gray said in a statement.
Results from air quality tests later showed “at no point were any children in danger,” and firefighters gave the all-clear, Stafford said.
Students were initially moved outside as fire officials investigated, CBS 46 reported. Photos from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution showed young children standing in a grassy area nearby.
Later Wednesday, the students were moved to another school — Heritage Academy — as Cleveland Avenue Elementary’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system was checked.
“The Atlanta Fire Department advised us to relocate the students for the day to give the HVAC team a chance to conduct a comprehensive check of the system,” Gray said.
The school is about 5 miles south of downtown Atlanta.
