Smoke from a science experiment in a classroom at Pennsbury High School West set off the fire alarm Wednesday morning and sent every student and staff member out of the building around 8:25 a.m. Firefighters and fire officials arrived quickly, cleared the air and gave the all-clear to return once they decided the school was safe.
No injuries were reported, and it was not immediately clear what kind of experiment students were conducting when the smoke filled the classroom. Principal Reggie Meadows later sent a note to parents and guardians explaining what happened at the school.
The evacuation came just as the district was telling the community about another major change ahead: construction on a new Pennsbury High School is expected to begin within the next two weeks. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Thomas Smith said the work is meant to support a safer, more modern and enhanced high school experience for the community, even as it brings temporary parking and traffic disruptions.
The new school is expected to open in September of 2029 and will bring together students from the current Pennsbury High School and Pennsbury High School West. Soon after that opening, district officials plan to demolish the two existing high schools, closing a chapter on the buildings that now serve the community.
For families, the morning smoke scare was short-lived. The larger change is still ahead, and it will reshape where Pennsbury students learn long after Wednesday’s alarm has gone silent.