Hampton Bays Students Evacuated Two Times Friday

Students at Hampton Bays Middle School and Hampton Bays Elementary School were evacuated at two separate times on Friday, according to school officials.

While snow was still falling at 11:15 a.m., students from the Hampton Bays Middle School were filed out of the school after a smell of gas was reported near the school's technology room.

Students were walked over to the district's elementary school while Hampton Bays Fire Department members investigated, finding that the odor was actually the smell of paint, not gas.

Students, school officials said, returned to class within 10 minutes.

Then, at 2:40 p.m., a fire alarm went off in the Hampton Bays Elementary School. Students were evacuated while the alarm continued to sound several more times.

School officials said fire department members determined that a "pull box" was Accidentally tripped, causing the alarm to go off.

Students returned to class after about five minutes.

"The events were unrelated and at different times of the day and in both instances, no emergency situation existed. The evacuations were just a precaution," said Lars Clemensen, superintendent of schools.

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