Head Start school evacuated twice after reports of smoke

Baby Bear Head Start in Morgan City was evacuated twice Wednesday morning after reports of smoke.
At about 9:05 a.m., the Morgan City Fire Department responded to a report of smoke in the building at Baby Bear, 710 Greenwood St.
All staff members and children were evacuated safely as the Fire Department inspected the building.
Staff members were able to move children back into the building at 9:26 a.m. as the Fire Department deemed the building safe to reenter and located the issue outside of the building.
“They said they heard a pop and then saw smoke in the building,” Fire Chief Alvin Cockerham said. “They have an issue with the electrical pole behind the building and we think that is what may have caused it. We don’t see anything in the building and it seems to be OK.”
Morgan City Fire Department responded with four trucks, including the ladder truck, and Morgan City Police Department had an officer on site.
About 10:35 a.m., a second call was received to respond to Baby Bear, this time for an oven fire.
All children and staff members were evacuated safely from the building as the Fire Department went into the building and extinguished the fire.
“It looks like one of the elements in the stove shorted out,” Cockerham said. “It is probably what the problem was earlier, it just finally went completely out. We cut the power to the stove, but the city will come and check out the electrical.”
Morgan City police joined firefighters at the scene.