Students, Staff Evacuated for Fire at Elementary School in Lanham

Firefighters broke through boiler room's ceiling to extinguish blaze

A Lanham elementary school was evacuated Monday morning after a fire began in the school's boiler room.

Students and staff at Gaywood Elementary School evacuated as Prince George's County firefighters arrived around 9:15 a.m.

The fire likely began when the school's natural gas-fed boiler malfunctioned and overheated, igniting insulation in the ceiling, authorities say. Firefighters had to break through the ceiling to extinguish the blaze.

The school's electricity and gas service were shut off.

Students were taken to DuVal High School for the rest of the day. There are no reported injuries.

The Gaywood building is expected to reopen Tuesday.

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