Hillside Intermediate Evacuated For Short Time Due to Small Fire

Smoke in the hallway of Hillside Intermediate School required students to be evacuated from the building for about 20 minutes Monday, officials said.

According to Bridgewater Police Lt. Alfred Nicaretta, a contractor with Nova Roofing was attempting to dry off a patch of the roof using a small propane torch at about 1:20 p.m. The contractor, Nicaretta said, was drying off some wet tar before adding more in the spot.

"It was wet, and he was drying to get the moisture off," he said.

The heat from the torch, Nicaretta said, was transferred through the roofing material and caught on the insulation, leading to smoke in one of the hallways of the school.

"But the contractor had an extinguisher and put out the fire quickly," he said.

Nicaretta said fire officials and police were called to the scene, and all students and faculty were evacuated from the building for an about 20-minute period.

"The fire department had to make a little hole in the ceiling to make sure no fire spread in the insulation," he said.

Nicaretta said there was no extensive damage to the school, and no one was injured in the incident.

Students returned to the school for the remainder of the day, he said.

Hillside Intermediate Principal Teresa Pennington did not return a call for comment.