'There was never an intruder': Scare at Maine West High may have been triggered at an alarm panel
The false report of an armed intruder that led to Maine West High School's evacuation last week may have been activated at a fire alarm panel in an area not accessible to students, a spokesman said Tuesday.
"There was never an intruder in the building," Maine Township High School District 207 spokesman Brett Clark said.
District 207 officials and police haven't ruled out a mechanical malfunction, Clark said.
The Friday-morning alarm at the Des Plaines school, which authorities had said was triggered on the second floor, prompted many students and staffers to flee the building while others barricaded themselves in classrooms.
Des Plaines police and officers from other agencies searched the building and found no threat. No one was hurt.
Classes and activities were canceled for the rest of the day. The school offered counseling to students or employees in need.
Des Plaines police and District 207 officials continue investigating.