GW Middle School Evacuated Following Report of Strange Odor

4:30 p.m. update — George Washington Middle School students did not re-enter the school following its evacuation, according to several students' parents. 

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Fire crews from Alexandria and Arlington County responded to a report of an odor at George Washington Middle School around 2 p.m. Thursday that was later found to be related to a snapped power line in the 1000 block of Mount Vernon Avenue.

The odor prompted someone in the school to pull the fire alarm and the children were evacuated from the building, according to ACPS spokesperson Kelly Alexander.

Fire officials quickly cleared the building and allowed the children to re-enter.

Maintenance crews were working on power lines across the street from the school throughout much of the day.

Roughly 20 Domion Virginia Power customers in the immediate area of the incident are without power. Service is expected to be restored between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Thursday. 

Mount Vernon Avenue remained closed between E. Braddock Road and E. Glendale Avenue when school was dismissed at 3:15 p.m. Alexander said school officials followed contingency plans to get children on their respective buses. 

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