Patrick County High School students were evacuated Wednesday when a sensor in the Culinary Arts Department malfunctioned.

Schools Superintendent Bill Sroufe said students were cooking at the time.

There was no fire and students were not in danger,  he said.

Officials are trying to determine if the malfuntion was due to an issue within the sensor. He said electronics in sensors may deteriorate over time which can prompt an alarm to sound, for example like those in home security systems.

School personnel “did the right thing. They evacuated the building,” Sroufe said. He estimated students were outside for about 30 minutes, possible longer.