RIVERTON, Ill. (WCIA) — Firefighters from various departments in Sangamon County were called to Riverton Middle School Tuesday morning due to reports of smoke and a burning odor detected in the Athletic Building.
Riverton Fire and EMS shared on Facebook that teams were dispatched at 7:50 a.m. following the activation of an automatic smoke alarm. Police officers were the first to arrive and reported back to dispatch, which then informed firefighters about the presence of smoke and a strong burning smell emanating from the Athletic Building.
The situation was then escalated to a reported structure fire because of the building’s size, and Riverton requested assistance from the Springfield Fire Department. This call for aid also brought in the Dawson and Sherman Fire Protection Districts.
Upon arrival, the firefighters encountered light smoke within the building and pinpointed the burning smell to the furnace located in the maintenance room. No active fire was discovered, and the response level was lowered, although the Dawson FPD still joined to help.
After deactivating the furnace and confirming there was no ongoing danger, firefighters gave the green light for school personnel to re-enter the building. Subsequently, students resumed their regular school activities once the all-clear was issued.
