Heating Unit Malfunction Prompted Edgewood High School Evacuation

Firefighters were called Tuesday to Edgewood High School for a burning odor that led to a precautionary evacuation, according to officials.

At 9:41 a.m. Tuesday, firefighters were on the scene of the school in the 2400 block of Willoughby Beach Road to investigate a burning odor, according to Rich Gardiner, spokesman for the Harford County Volunteer Fire & EMS Association.

The odor was coming from one of the classrooms, according to Teri Kranefeld, spokeswoman for Harford County Public Schools, who said the classroom was evacuated prior to firefighters' arrival.

School system electricians had investigated but had been unable to locate the source of the smell, and so firefighters were called and the entire building was evacuated, according to Kranefeld.

"The fire department did a thorough sweep of the building and deemed it safe for students to return to class," Kranefeld said in an email to Patch at 10:17 a.m. "Upon further inspection, it has been determined that the HVAC unit that services that classroom was the source of the smell."

No injuries were reported, according to Gardiner.

Harford County Public Schools crews were making necessary repairs to the HVAC unit, Kranefeld said.