Reading PA Fire Department

A box alarm was dispatched for a reported fire at the Tyson-Schoener Elementary School, 315 South 5th Street around 10:50 this morning. Arriving units found the building evacuated. Firefighters entered the building and discovered a smoke condition on the second floor. The sprinkler system was also activated. Looking for the cause of the activation and smoke, firefighters found a burnt display on a bulletin board.

The sprinkler system was shut down and drained. Water flooded several classes on the second floor and seeped though to the lower levels. Crews worked to clean up the water and then turned the building over to the school district. No reports on damage estimates were noted.

The evacuated children were taken to a local church and the nearby Salvation Army to wait, school officials decided to dismiss classes for the remainder of the day. Parents who heard about the incident began arriving to get their children almost immediately. Officials were questioning one of the students in the matter, it is unknown how the scarecrow display was ignited or if any charges will be brought. It took firefighter just over an hour to clear the scene.

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