Motor burns inside wall at United

HANOVERTON - A burning heater motor filled the fifth-grade hallway at United Schools with smoke late Sunday, but the problem was handled quickly.

David Starcher, the building and grounds supervisor at the building, said simply, "the system works."

The building's fire alarm system properly alerted staff and firefighters, and by checking the system it was easily pinpointed where the exact source of the problem was. Electricity to the heater motor outside of room 113 was turned off. Then the faulty motor, which was still very hot, was removed from the wall unit by firefighters.

Firefighters from Hanover Township, both the Hanoverton and Guilford Lake stations, responded to the building, bringing Winona Volunteer Fire Department for backup. Both the Minerva and Salem fire departments were on standby in case the situation turned out to be a major one.

Principal William Young also arrived at the building during the fire and offered that school would be held as usual in the morning. Cleanup from remnants of mud and soot from the firefighters' boots and burned-up motor was under way as soon as firefighters cleared the scene.

Today is the first day back for county schools after the winter holiday breaks. Some schools already had planned a delay based on weather predictions. Both Beaver Local and Southern Local had called for two-hour delays for this morning.

djohnson@mojonews.com