WESTPORT — School bus schedules for middle and elementary students may be delayed this morning, school officials warn.

The usual schedules are likely to be disrupted because a smoke alarm was triggered prior to the start of the class day at Staples High School, according to an announcement by Supt. of Schools Thomas Scarice about 8:20 a.m. Thursday.

The incident at Staples was caused when “a part connected to the building’s air-conditioning system had failed, thus causing the alarm to set off,” Scarice said. 

Firefighters, however, were dispatched to the school after the alarm was triggered.

The problem was resolved “quickly,” Scarice said, and students and staff have been allowed to enter the high school.

But the incident is expected to cause “a short delay from normal bus arrival times” on later bus schedules for middle and elementary school students this morning, he added.