UNION CITY, N.J. (AP) -- Fire officials say a pencil left inside a running electric pencil sharpener sparked a fire at a New Jersey elementary school.

North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue Deputy Chief Michael Cranwell tells NJ.com the fire was reported around 7:20 a.m. Thursday in a room in Washington Elementary School in Union City.

Students, faculty and staff left the building and temporarily moved to a middle school.

Cranwell says the pencil sharpener's motor overheated and eventually ignited into flames.

He says the damage was contained to one room. Firefighters tested the air levels for carbon monoxide after the fire was extinguished. The school was turned back over to the Board of Education at around 8:30 a.m.

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