Category Archives: School / University

NOTE – Residence Hall, Dormitory, and Fraternity-Sorority is included under Residential Category

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Vincennes, IN – Sprinkler system activated for kitchen fire at school; No injuries reported

An electrical issue with a dishwasher reportedly led to a fire Tuesday evening at Vincennes Lincoln High School.

The fire caused officials to activate an e-learning day for students Wednesday while crews worked to clean up the incident.

According to a release from the Vincennes Community School Corporation, thanks to the hard work of a number of staff members and partner organizations the school will return to in-person instruction on Thursday.

VCSC officials said the kitchen will take a week or so to get back up and running, in the meantime, food preparation will take place in a temporary satellite kitchen. Students will receive their breakfast and lunches in sack format until the kitchen is returned to normal operations.

No injuries were reported due to the fire, and officials said they take satisfaction in knowing the sprinkler system in place had most of the fire out by the time firefighters arrived on scene.

Evening activities will take place at Lincoln High School as scheduled Wednesday evening. The Knox County Health Department has given the organization the all-clear to return to the building.

“Please also know that the facility is safe and free of any smoke or water damage. If the facility were not safe, we would not return students, staff, and patrons to the building. But again, we thank the Knox County Health Department for doing their due diligence that allows us to return to the facility,” the release reads.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Erie, PA – Sprinkler system contains dryer fire at Great Lakes Institute of Technology

It was reported around 12:30 a.m. Thursday at 5100 Peach St.

Firefighters found heavy smoke throughout the building, which was unoccupied at the time, officials said.

A fire sprinkler system contained the fire within the room, but the building suffered extensive smoke and water damage, according tot he department.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Baltimore, MD – Sprinkler system activated for accidental fire at high school

A fire damaged a classroom at an Eastern Shore high school early Wednesday, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

The fire started at Easton High School after custodial workers “inadvertently” activated a stove-top burner, fire officials said.

The custodians were moving items out of a classroom and, at one point, placed electronic equipment on the burner, which is what activated the burner, according to authorities.

That’s what started the fire, fire officials said.

Moments later, the fire alarm activated and alerted staff to the fire, according to authorities.

A sprinkler head was activated and suppressed the flames, fire officials said.

The fire required 58 firefighters and was under control within about 96 minutes, according to authorities.

All damage was contained to a single classroom, fire officials said.

The cost of the damage came to roughly $3,000, which included $500 in structural damage and $2,500 in damage to “contents,” according to authorities.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Milton, GA – Sprinkler system activated for electrical fire inside school auditorium

A small electrical fire in an auditorium, which triggered a fire alarm and sprinkler system, prompted an evacuation Monday at Cambridge High School, Fulton County School officials said.

No one was inside of the auditorium at the time of the fire, and the remainder of the building was evacuated, school officials said.

“Fulton County Schools’ facilities and maintenance department was deployed quickly, and the local fire department arrived to confirm the fire was put out,” officials said.

The cause of the fire is unknown.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Chaska, MN – Sprinkler system activated for fire at high school; No injuries reported

A small fire started on a ceiling light fixture at Chaska High School the early morning of Wednesday, March 29, while the district was on spring break.

The sprinklers triggered a water flow alarm and the alarm company called the Chaska Fire Department.

“Thanks to the sprinkler system and the fast response of the fire department the fire was put out quickly,” a Facebook post from Eastern Carver County Schools stated. “We are grateful for their support. No one was harmed but staff are working to assess damage.”

Most of the damage from the incident was from the water, according to Celi Haga, the district’s director of communications and community engagement.

Haga said that the school would “be ready to welcome back students and staff on Monday.”

Chaska’s Deputy Fire Chief Kevin Gravalin said that the fire was “nothing major because of the sprinklers. It was controlled. But without the sprinklers he said it “could have been catastrophic, so definitely very lucky to have the sprinkler system.”

Gravalin said that the insurance company is investigating the other lights in the building. “The message from us was to make sure that they have somebody take a look at it,” he added.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Petitcodiac, NB, Canada – Sprinkler system activated for early morning fire at school

Petitcodiac Regional School was closed Thursday due to an early morning fire that has been deemed suspicious.

Chief Craig Ramsay of the Petitcodiac Volunteer Fire Department said they were dispatched to the school around 4:20 a.m.

Light smoke was discovered in one of the rooms in the elementary wing of the K-12 school and the sprinkler system was activated.

The fire was contained to one room.

Ramsay said the fire is suspicious and is being investigated by the RCMP and the New Brunswick Office of the Fire Marshall.

School staff are evaluating the damage and the facility is closed.

“For how long, nobody knows,” said Ramsay.

A spokesperson for the Anglophone East School District said they are communicating with the police and fire officials.

More information will be provided to families when it becomes available to the district.

Petitcodiac Regional School is located in the heart of the village and is home to roughly 650 students.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Green Township, OH – Sprinkler system activated for refrigerator fire at school

Margaret B. Rost School will not be open Wednesday after a refrigerator fire resulted in extensive damage.

Fire crews were dispatched to the school on Bridgetown Road Wednesday afternoon for a fire alarm activation. When they arrived, Green Township Fire Chief Scott Souders said they found a fridge inside that had caught fire.

The fire had already been put out thanks to the school’s sprinkler system, but Souders said the system caused water damage throughout the building. The fire also resulted in a large amount of smoke, which crews were trying to clear from the school.

A spokesperson for the school said classes are canceled Wednesday — noting they hope to be back Thursday but do not yet know the extent of the damage.

“I would assume at this point it’s not going to be able to be occupied anytime in the next day or two,” Souders said at the scene.

A remediation crew has been called to the school.

Officials said the school was unoccupied when the fire occurred. It doesn’t appear suspicious at this time, but an investigation is underway.

Margaret B. Rost is a school operated by Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services. It focuses on individualized instruction for students with significant disabilities.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Boone, NC – Sprinkler system extinguishes classroom fire at high school; No injuries reported

There was minor damage to some classrooms after a fire at Watauga High School on Thursday.

At approximately 4:24 PM the fire alarm and sprinkler system were activated in one of the classrooms on the main level of Watauga High School, according to Superintendent Dr. Scott Elliott.

A stovetop in the classroom was inadvertently activated when items were placed on top of the stove. The sprinkler system extinguished the fire before the fire spread to any other classrooms, according to Elliott.

There was minor fire damage to the walls and cabinetry, and extensive smoke and water damage to several classrooms on two floors. Dr. Elliott said they will spend the weekend getting everything cleaned up and repaired before the students return to class on Tuesday. 

“I am grateful to all the first responders, most especially the Boone Fire Department, and to our own maintenance and custodial staff for their quick response and assistance. Also, it is a good reminder to every single one of us to be careful around stoves and other appliances. This same thing could have happened in anyone’s home or place of work. In this case, we are fortunate that no one is injured and the classrooms can be repaired.” Dr. Elliott said.  

College/University (on campus), School / University

Coral Gables, FL – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire on university campus; No injuries reported

The Coral Gables Fire Department responded to a blaze on the campus of the University of Miami.

It happened Sunday afternoon after officials said a fire sparked in a science classroom.

According to Coral Gables Fire, the building sprinkler system was able to put out the flames and contain it to its room of origin.

Firefighters said chemicals were involved, so a City of Miami Hazmat team was deployed to monitor air quality as an additional precaution.

Hazmat officials gave an all clear, indicating that the chemicals in the fire were contained and did not spread, and they are no longer present.

No injuries were reported.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Rio Rancho, NM – Sprinkler system activated for fire at middle school; No injuries reported

Rio Rancho Middle School students are reportedly safe after a small fire was extinguished Tuesday morning.

School officials say the fire started in a girl’s restroom in the school’s 500 wing. The fire activated the sprinkler system and alarms which prompted students to be evacuated and fire crews to respond.

No one was injured and the school says all protocols were followed before letting students return to class safely.

School administrators have identified the accused perpetrator and are mulling disciplinary action for them. No other details are available at this time.