News

Charles Barrett Elementary School evacuated due to reports of smoke

By James Cullum and Vernon Miles
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Charles Barrett Elementary School in Arlandria evacuated earlier today due to smoke in the building, according to scanner traffic.

Around 11:26 a.m., the school was evacuated due to reports of smoke in the building. Around noon, the school was cleared for students to return to classes.

There is no smoke visible from the exterior of the building, but fire crews from Arlington and Alexandria inspected the building. According to scanner traffic, the smoke was coming from an HVAC system at the school.

About the Authors

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.

  • Vernon Miles is the ALXnow cofounder and editor. He's covered Alexandria since 2014 and has been with Local News Now since 2018. When he's not reporting, he can usually be found playing video games or Dungeons and Dragons with friends.