The debate was heated, but nobody expected it to trigger a fire alarm.

But at 9 p.m. the alarms started shrieking, and the high school auditorium was evacuated in the midst of debate on the senior affordable housing project at the Westfield site.

Over 200 Town Meeting attendees filed out into the night - along with the cast of "Pump Boys and Dinettes," the high school musical that was rehearsing in the band room at the time - and were soon joined by a police car, fire engine and ambulance.

Ninety-year-old Sherm Gleason said that the event was unprecedented.

"I've been coming to Town Meeting 70 years, this has never happened before," he said.

Thankfully the night wasn't too cool. It was almost pleasant, as the high-school students serenaded nearby attendees with a Taylor Swift song. And the debates continued, just in smaller groups.

When the meeting reconvened, Moderator Claire Smith told the meeting that a faulty smoke detector had triggered the alarm, possibly the result of dust or even a spider.

However, concerns about whether the interruption influenced the vote count were raised by Selectman Brenda Eckstrom after the Westfield senior housing proposal was voted down.

A police officer and clerk had checked everybody's stamp (indicating they were a voter) as they filed back into the room through the main door. Many participants, however, had come in through the side door.

Moderator Smith ruled that the concerns should have been raised when everybody had reentered the hall and before the vote was taken. The vote stood as counted.