Harding University Partnership School went into lockdown for about 12 minutes Monday afternoon after two temporary custodians got into a heated argument, according to the Santa Barbara Unified School District.

Some students and adults witnessed the argument, which resulted in one custodian brandishing a pipe at the other.

One of the custodians has worked at the school for a month, the other for two weeks. Both were hired through a job placement agency that conducts background checks on the employees, and there have been no other incidents with temporary employees hired through that agency, the district said in a statement.

Only the more recent hire will return to work at Harding, said Barbara Keyani, administrative services coordinator for the district.

Principal Sally Kingston initiated the lockdown, called the Santa Barbara Police Department and sent a TeleParent phone message to parents Monday afternoon informing them of the lockdown.

“The students and staff responded as they are trained to do,” Kingston said in a statement released by the district. “The safety of our students and staff is our top priority, and I am proud of their immediate response to emergency procedures.”

— Noozhawk staff writer Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.