The La Grange Park Fire Department responded to Nazareth Academy High School at 4 a.m. Tuesday morning by the automatic fire alarm system. Upon arrival, firefighters found the fire alarm sounding and smoke throughout the basement of the school.

Upon further investigation, a smoke detector was found to be activated at the bottom of an elevator shaft and the smoke was coming from the elevator’s mechanical equipment, where a large storage container of hydraulic oil was overheating. Fire crews shut down power to the equipment to prevent further overheating. The exact cause of the malfunction is unknown, but fire officials speculate it may have been related to the storms that passed through the area overnight, which caused various power problems throughout the village.

“The fire alarm system worked as designed and called us to the school early on, prior to any further damage taking place,” La Grange Park Fire Chief Dean Maggos said.

Fire companies remained on the scene for about an hour assisting maintenance personnel with removing smoke from the building. The La Grange Park Fire Department was assisted with the incident by the La Grange Fire Department.