Duncan Creek Elementary Briefly Evacuated

was briefly evacuated this afternoon according to Jorge Quintana, director of media relations for Gwinnett County Public Schools.

Quintana said the students and staff were evacuated as a precaution due to smoke. School personnel and students are now back inside the building.

Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services public information officer Capt. Tommy Rutledge said the smoke appears to have been caused by a malfunctioning air handling (HVAC) unit.

Firefighters were called to the school shortly before 1 p.m. after school staff noticed light smoke in the cafeteria. Students and staff were immediately evacuated.

"There was no actual fire found in the building and the smoke seemed to readily dissipate," Rutledge wrote in a subsequent press release.

Rutledge said no one was injured during the incident, but one child was evaluated for an unrelated medical condition. The child was not transported, Rutledge said.

Students and school personnel were allowed to return to the building by 1:37 p.m.

"School staff and the students did a tremendous job of following their established fire evacuation plan," Rutledge said. 

School maintenance personnel are at the scene repairing the air handling unit.