Students at the Mabelle B. Avery Middle School in Somers were dismissed early and firefighters are investigating after smoke filled the main foyer this afternoon.
According to the Somers Superintendent of Schools Dr. Maynard Suffredini, Jr., the smoke first appeared around 1:30 p.m. Students and staff were evacuated to the high school nearby and were kept briefly in the auditorium until high school dismissal time.
Middle school students were dismissed along with the high school. Buses brought them back to the middle school to retrieve their coats and belongings, Suffredini said.
Firefighters are still working to determine what caused the smoke, but said it smelled like a light ballast was burning and could have been related to a heating issue, according to Suffredini.
