False alarm interrupts voters, poll workers at John Long Middle School

A false smoke alarm interrupted voters at the John Long Middle School polling place Tuesday evening.

“Our poll workers and clerk followed the proper and necessary protocols to make sure the voting numbers, blank ballots and voter poll book were secured in boxes if a full evacuation would have become necessary,” Village Administrator Jesse Thyes said.

Grafton Fire Chief Bill Rice confirmed that an alarm went off at 4:55 p.m. in the school’s old gymnasium, which was not being used for voting. Voting took place in the school’s new gym.

“When we went into the old gym, we didn’t find any indication that there was a problem,” Rice said. “We checked the rest of the building and everything was fine.”

Rice said he doesn’t believe there was any foul play intended to disrupt the election. The false alarm could have been a result of a new system installed during the school’s recent remodeling, he added.

“We don’t believe anyone pulled the alarm. When you have a new system, there can be some glitches,” Rice said.

More than 100 voters were at the school during the incident and the majority remained in the building.