Electric Heater Behind Smoke Condition at Walnut Street School

Fire officials say an electric heating unit was behind an early-morning smoke condition discovered at Walnut Street Elementary School.

Firefighters went to the school at 7 a.m. Thursday when the building’s fire alarm system activated.  

Upon arrival, firefighters discovered a smoke condition in the media center, said James Mercready, Director of the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention.  

The building was evacuated, and firefighters from Toms River fire companies 1 and 2, Pleasant Plains Fire Company and Island Heights Fire Company located the source of the smoke, which was coming from an electric wall heater, Mercready said.  

Firefighters removed the unit from the building and also removed smoke from the media center.

After the fire department operations were completed, the building was allowed to be reoccupied, with the exception of the media center, said Mercready.

No injuries were reported and no structural damage to the building occurred.

Mercready credited the building’s fire alarm system with providing early notification of the fire to safely evacuate the building occupants and also to notify the fire department to respond to the building.

Inspector Charles Bauer of the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention conducted the fire cause and origin investigation. It was determined that an accidental fire occurred due to a malfunction of the heating unit.