The Orillia Fire Department and other emergency services responded to a fire in the basement at Harriett Todd Public School earlier today.
Orillia Deputy Fire Chief Chris Ferry says the fire alarm call came through to the department just before 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
"When we arrived, there was a small fire in the basement," Ferry said. "Something was lit on fire in one of the bathrooms."
Ferry says the Orillia OPP is investigating the incident to determine who is responsible for lighting the fire.
"All the kids were evacuated when we got here," Ferry said, noting the students and teachers congregated outside during the incident.
"All the alarms were sounding and the firefighters went in to make sure the fire was fully extinguished," Ferry told OrilliaMatters.
There were 12 firefighters on the scene for just under an hour who helped ventilate smoke from the school on George Street, just off Westmount Drive in Orillia's west ward.
"Once all of the smoke was evacuated, the kids were let back into the school," Ferry said. "There were no injuries."
Ferry says it's safe for the school day to resume and there is no lingering smoke that could be harmful to students.
"We have air monitor devices," he said. "We checked for carbon monoxide in the structure before we let the kids back in."
