A hoax bomb threat at a construction site forced Ellicott City schools to briefly go into a lockdown early Wednesday, according to the Howard County Police Department.

Howard County Police spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn did not immediately release what the specific target of the hoax bomb threat was, or how it was received.

She said officials made a decision to go ahead with a "modified lockdown" at Patapsco Middle School and Hollifield Station Elementary because at the same time officers were investigating the nearby construction site, students were to participate in a fire drill at one of the schools.

"We suggested postponing the fire drill until police activity was out of the area," she said in an email.

Patapsco Middle School Principal Cynthia Dillon and Hollifield Station Elementary School Principal Lisa Booth sent a email to parents Wednesday on the "modified lockdown."

"Though the threat to our students and staff was minimal, it was determined that the safest course of action would be to minimize exposure and access to our facilities," the principals wrote to parents.

The modified lockdown brought outdoor classes indoors as faculty secured all doors, while teachers continued teaching classes, according to the email. The lockdown lasted for approximately one hour.

For more local news, sign up for the Ellicott City Patch newsletter . Keep the conversation going on Facebook and Twitter .