Smoke machine triggers fire alarm at local school cafeteria, Elizabeth NJ

Fire & Arson

Reported: 10/30/2025 01:36 PM

Near Bayway, Elizabeth, NJ 07202

A fire alarm was triggered at Mabel G. Holmes School No. 5 due to smoke detected in the cafeteria. Firefighters responded and investigated the cause. It was found that the smoke machine activated the smoke detectors, causing the alarm. There was no fire, and the alarm was downgraded after confirmation.

Audio|Source: Elizabeth Fire Department

03:18

Transcript:

00:00

Commercial alarm signal 410 at Mabel G. Holmes School No. 5, located at near Bayway Avenue.

00:08

Cross the street Upton Street and South Broad Street.

00:12

Coming into the general fire activation, engine 2, engine 1, 9.3, rescue 1. You're responding, 16.36, this match, 7, 2, operating on fire on 1.

00:25

Okay, the refrigerator cord was pulled out from the wall, power was secured through the unit.

00:30

Occupants are going to make sure they get the refrigerator properly repaired.

00:34

You can terminate command of volume's available.

00:36

All right, you're doing.

00:44

Dispatch rescue is on near Bayway Avenue. I got a three-story,

00:50

preschool.

00:51

No one's evacuating, no alarm sounding at this moment. Where Stavis should be awakened.

00:58

Okay.

01:04

This time, stay away, commandant. Can you notify maintenance,

01:07

please?

01:08

Or genocide?

01:14

Let's see one from Italian one. Do you have alarms sounding or no?

01:19

Yeah, we got alarms sounding.

01:20

We're going to hear from outside.

01:24

I receive thank you.

01:31

Be advised.

01:33

Detected activated by smoke in the cafeteria just to get it.

01:41

It's just so awesome.

01:47

We've got a pretty good small condition.

01:50

I'll break through this to an 11.

01:53

We're investigating.

01:58

We're investigating.

01:59

We're grading near Bayway Avenue to a signal 11.

02:15

The near Bayway Avenue to a signal floor 11, engine 3, engine 8, ladder 1, ladder 2, you're going to be responding.

02:23

Time out is 1640 to such a 2.056 operating on fire ground 1.

02:35

Comment.

02:38

All right, we found the source of the smoke.

02:42

Sure, that activated the smoke machine.

02:45

That activated the smoke machine.

02:47

We do a natural on the Charlie's side of the building.

02:52

You can reduce this to a nine.

02:59

New Avenue.

03:00

So Signal 9[1], we're going to be holding engine 2, 3, and rescue 1. All other companies, you can go available.

03:13

If you're at the panel,

03:15

then you go into the main office and sign the alarm, please.

Police codes explained

The following codes appeared in the transcript and are explained below:

[1]

Signal 9: Emergency/priority response requested (lights and sirens)

Disclaimer:
This transcript was automatically generated and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify the information independently.

Location mentioned:

Near Bayway, Elizabeth, NJ 07202

This shows a Google Street View of the area near the location, which might not be the exact address.

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