Students Evacuate Northville Elementary School Monday Morning

Thornton Creek Elementary School students were evacuated Monday morning after smoke was smelled in the building.

There was a noise, followed by the smell of smoke, according to an email from the Northville Public Schools district. The school was evacuated immediately and the fire department was contacted, the email said.

"While the investigation is continuing, the source of the problem appears to be a ball bearing in a HVAC unit. The matter is under control and steps are being taken to ensure that there are no other areas impacted or at risk," the email said.

Thornton Creek Elementary, although part of the Northville school district, is in and has students from Novi, at 46180 West Nine Mile Road, so the Novi police and fire departments were called to assist. 

Student were kept in their buses and the district sent additional buses to the school to keep students warm and safe while the investigation continued, according to the email. Students began returning to their classes at 9:30 a.m.