School worker spots smoke, averts damage

GREENVILLE, Pa. -- Firefighters said it was fortunate that a maintenance crew was in East Elementary School when an electric motor burned out its bearings.
Had the fire not been detected when it was, damage could have been extensive, said Fire Chief Steve Thompson.
A maintenance worker in the building at 71 Columbia Ave. spotted smoke coming from the ceiling in several different places shortly after 8 p.m. Wednesday and called for assistance, Thompson said.
It turned out to be an electric motor on a ceiling-mounted natural gas heater. The motor's bearings overheated and burned out and the heat burned some electrical wires, causing the smoke, he said.
The building has only a manual fire alarm that isn't monitored by an alarm center, Thompson said.
Fire crews from West Salem and Hempfield townships also responded to the scene, he said.