BUCKHANNON, W.Va. — Students at Buckhannon Academy Elementary School were evacuated shortly after they arrived Wednesday morning when a hot water tank at the school caught fire.

The kids were taken just down the road to Chapel Hill United Methodist Church for a brief stay and returned to the school once the fire department gave the all-clear.

“There was smoke in the kitchen at Buckhannon Academy Elementary School, and the kids were evacuated to Chapel Hill Church,” the Upshur County Board of Education told My Buckhannon. “The situation has been resolved, and the children have returned to the building.”

Buckhannon Fire Chief J.B. Kimble said the fire broke out at about 10:30 a.m. and was confined to the utility room.

“There was some smoke in the kitchen area, but the school was evacuated and the power was shut off,” Kimble said. “Luckily, one of the janitors located the fire and he was able to shut off the power, which usually stops the fire.

“The only thing we did was clear the smoke.”

Students had only been at the school about 30 minutes when the fire started due to a two-hour delay for snowy roads Wednesday morning.