Firefighters work the scene of a fire in Loyalsock Township Middle School early Tuesday morning. PHOTO PROVIDED BY WILLIAMSPORT FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 736

Loyalsock Township’s high school and middle school, at 1801 Loyalsock Drive, were closed Tuesday following a fire that broke out in a small office on the east side of the large complex at about 1:20 a.m., according to Richard Cashera, a township assistant fire chief.

The fire tripped an alarm that sent township and South Williamsport firefighters and a school maintenance employee to the scene.

“There was a light smoke condition as well as a smoke odor when they entered the one-story building,” Cashera said.

Once the fire was discovered, additional manpower and equipment from the city, Montoursville, Eldred Township and DuBoistown were dispatched.

“We had personnel arrive at the building along with the fire department within five to seven minutes.” Gerald S. McLaughlin, Loyalsock Township School District superintendent, said. The fire was contained to one office area, although we had some smoke in the halls. Our emergency system, the doors and the heating, ventilation and air conditioning, worked as they should in an emergency and the spread of smoke was contained to one area of the school. We will be back in school tomorrow.”

Although the fire was extinguished in a matter of minutes, exhaust fans were used “extensively” to clear smoke from the school, Cashera said.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation by the state police fire marshal’s office. There is nothing suspicious about it at this time, Cashera said.

The school remained closed as professional cleaning crews cleaned up the smoke damage and made sure the air quality environment was safe before students and faculty return, Cashera said.

“We appreciate that prompt response from emergency personnel. That certainly helped minimize the damage. Brian Bubb is our facilities supervisor and he lives within a mile away-that also helps. He’s also part of the fire department,” McLaughlin said.

To his knowledge, McLaughlin said, there has not been a fire at any of the district’s schools other than a microwave incident in a science classroom.

“They overcooked some stuff in a microwave and that caused a small fire in a classroom one time,” McLaughlin said.

There are about 370 students in the Middle School in sixth, seventh and eighth grade.

All students in both the middle and high schools were given the day off on Tuesday.