Primary / Secondary School, School / University Dallas, TX – Automatic sprinkler system contains fire at Texas high school; No injuries April 29, 2016 viking210 A fire Wednesday at South Oak Cliff High School apparently was started by a burning computer in a classroom, Dallas Fire-Rescue says. Firefighters were called to the school after classes ended. It appeared that a computer had caught fire and burned some cabinets, filling a third-floor hallway with smoke. The automatic sprinkler system contained the fire. Fifty to 100 people were at the school for after-school activities. No injuries were reported. Earlier Wednesday, about 50 students staged a walkout at the school to protest the condition of the building. The students have been complaining for months about leaky roofs, temperature problems and other problems. They want a new building. It’s projected that the building will receive up to $40 million in improvements under the 2015 bond program.
College/University (on campus), Residence Hall/Dormitory, School / University Boone, NC – Sprinklers activated when bulletin board in residence hall set on fire April 29, 2016 viking210 An unknown perpetrator set fire to a bulletin board that covered the topic of privilege on the fourth floor of Lovill Hall which activated both the fire alarm and sprinkler system on April 24 around 10:41 p.m., Appalachian State campus police said. The board was an almost exact copy of the board that sparked controversy last year in East Hall. There is also a version of the board posted between McAlister’s and career exploration in Plemmons Student Union. According to a university email update, no injuries have been reported but 40 of the 219 students that live in the residence hall have been displaced due to water damage from the facility sprinkler systems. ASU police officer Lt. Richard Hicks said some students are being moved to empty beds on campus while others are being housed at the Fairfield Inn & Suites. Residence hall meetings were held Monday that included residence life staff, campus police officers and staff from the Counseling Center to provide support for students impacted by the event. Students were told that so far the arson has cost the university $20,000 total in damages, and has been projected to cost a total of $50,000, Rachel Bowman, a freshman resident of the fourth floor of the building who attended the meeting, said. “The board covered a wide range of privilege,” Bowman said. “It didn’t cover just one race or one gender, I felt it was very informative.” Beside the bulletin board, the RA had a notice posted that if anything on the board triggered them, they were encouraged to find the RA and talk to them about it. Bowman’s room was not severely damaged, however other rooms on the fourth floor and those below sustained heavy water damage. Taylor Ramsey, a freshman resident of the third floor, was moved from Lovill to Eggers on Monday due to water damage. Ramsey said she spent Sunday night and all day Monday packing and relocating with the help of university staff. Sgt. Fred Carrero confirmed that at both of the meetings held by the university on Monday, students were told about the anonymous reporting process. Students are encouraged to contact university police with any leads or information regarding the crime. Any tip that leads to an arrest will be eligible for an award up to $1,000, according to an email from campus police. Lt. Hicks said that several interviews were recently conducted in hopes of finding the accused arsonist. “They are feeling pretty good right now about coming to a conclusion soon for formal charges,” Hicks said.
Primary / Secondary School, School / University Enderby, BC, Canada – Arson fire in school bathroom extinguished by sprinkler system April 21, 2016 viking210 RCMP are continuing their investigation of a fire at AL Fortune Secondary School in Enderby earlier this month. Cpl. Kevin Kwast said the fire has been determined as arson. “It looks like it was set with toilet paper and Post-it notes,” said Kwast, adding police want to interview a student, but could provide no more details because the student is a minor. Enderby Fire Chief Kevin Alstad said the fire started in the girl’s washroom and was put out by the sprinkler system. “There was smoke damage throughout the building,” said Alstad. “The washroom was pretty much a write off.” While the fire was limited to the washroom, smoke forced the evacuation of students and staff. The school was closed for two days before students could return to class
Primary / Secondary School, School / University West Palm Beach, FL – Fire at high school is kept from spreading by sprinkler system; Fire started in an appliance April 19, 2016 viking210 A “small” fire at Forest Hill High School Sunday night triggered the sprinkler system and prompted West Palm Beach Fire Department to dispatch crews to the campus. In the end, some classrooms in one building suffered water damage, according to a call that went to parents this morning. Classes will be shuffled to other rooms on the West Palm Beach campus, but school will continue as scheduled. According to the call, a water mitigation company began the clean up work at midnight and will be there for the coming days. Sounds like the school’s band, chorus and drama classes will be feeling the pinch. The call reports that band and chorus classes will meet instead in the school auditorium. “Drama will be located in our lobby.” Imagining that’s a reference to the class. Update: Principal Mary Stratos says that it appears an appliance was the source of the fire that happened Sunday night. That small fire triggered the school’s sprinkler system and also brought out the fire department – and this morning she is singing their praises. “What an unbelievable group,” Stratos said. “They went far and beyond.” Authorities aren’t sure how or why the appliance caught fire (no detail yet on which appliance, but think coffee machine, microwave or such), but they are reviewing school video for clues, Stratos said. Most of the damage is water damage that is in a couple of rooms including the band room, where a wall must be removed. Mitigation crews had removed the water by Monday morning, but the smell of smoke and burned plastic still hung in the air, prompted Stratos to close the building for now and relocate classes. “We’ve put in new charcoal filters and air cleaners, so I just have to wait for those things to do what they’re supposed to do,” Stratos said. Meanwhile, the school schedule is moving forward including students taking the computer-based Florida Standards Assessments for Engli
Primary / Secondary School, School / University Enderby, BC, Canada – Sprinklers activate in suspicious fire at secondary school April 14, 2016 viking210 It’s back to school Tuesday for high school students at A.L. Fortune Secondary in Enderby following a fire in the girls’ washroom. About 250 students and teachers were evacuated around noon on Friday after the fire broke out and caused overhead sprinklers to come on. The fire is considered suspicious. A restoration company was called in immediately after the fire was doused to clean up the mess. However, reparation work forced the school to remain closed on Monday. “We are pleased to have our students and staff returning to the important learning that takes place at A.L. Fortune every day,” said Carl Cooper, director of instruction. Not all the classrooms will be open tomorrow. Cooper said one wing of the school will remain closed for a few more days, including a couple of classrooms, for construction of a new wall after asbestos was discovered in the mud used for drywall. “Since the washroom and one classroom wall were damaged by fire and water, and the mud was no longer encapsulated, an environmental services company, Apex EHS Services, was brought in to assess the hazardous materials,” said Alice Hucul, spokeswoman for School District 83. “The asbestos was removed on Monday to WorkSafe B.C. standards. Air quality was monitored throughout.” The district has been unable to supply an estimate of damage caused by the fire. The RCMP continue to investigate the incident.
Primary / Secondary School, School / University Doylestown, PA – Fire at high school quickly brought under control by sprinkler system April 10, 2016 viking210 The Doylestown Fire Company responded to a small fire Wednesday morning at Central Bucks West. No injuries were reported. The Doylestown Fire Company responded to a small fire Wednesday morning at Central Bucks West, the fire company announced on Facebook. The fire was brought under control quickly by a sprinkler, the fire company said via Facebook. No injuries were reported. The fire caused minor damage.
College/University (on campus), School / University Newark, DE – Fire in University of Delaware science laboratory controlled with help from sprinkler system April 9, 2016 viking210 University of Delaware Police responded to a fire alarm after 5 a.m. this morning and found flames. The fire department responded and the scene was secured. The sprinkler system activated, so there is water in the building as well as some smoke damage. The second floor of Du Pont Hall’s west wing remains closed this morning, Wednesday, April 6, while clean up is under way after a minor fire in a materials science laboratory. The east wing of Du Pont Hall is now open, as are the first and third floors of the west wing. The second floor of the west wing remains closed. Facilities staff are on scene assisting with the clean up. No one was injured in the incident.
Primary / Secondary School Mexico, MO – Overnight fire in utility closet at Catholic school extinguished by sprinkler system April 3, 2016 viking210 At approximately 1 a.m. Wednesday, Mexico Department of Public Safety was called to St. Brendan School on Clark Street. Officers arriving on the scene found light smoke and evidence of the sprinkler system having activated. Upon investigation, it was discovered that cardboard boxes in a utility room had been ignited by the water heater. The sprinklers had extinguished the small fire. There was very little damage from fire or smoke and there were no injuries. The fire did not cause any damage to the main building of the school. St. Brendan Principal Kathy Coulson said students would be bringing their lunches for a few days so the school’s kitchen and gymnasium areas, which are near the storage room in which the fire started, could be cleaned of some smoke. Coulson said the school’s sprinkler system will also be replaced in the near future
Primary / Secondary School, School / University Charlotte, NC – Clothes dryer fire in middle school locker room is contained by sprinkler system March 27, 2016 viking210 Practice made perfect for the student body of Randolph Middle Thursday morning; the school had two fire alarms: the first one was a drill, the second which occurred about an hour later, was real. “We received additional calls from CMPD we had a fire in a room attached to the gym, flames in the room, the fire was upgraded. Once firefighters arrived on the scene, had light smoke showing,” said Captain Jackie Gilmore of the Charlotte Fire Department. Firefighters said that some flammable items like cloth or paper had been left on a running drier and caught fire. “This fire did not get into the school, smoke did not get into any part of the structure.” A working sprinkler system contained the fire, there was no structure damage. “This was part of a locker room to a back hallway, so all the smoke was contained and the fire department checked the building and said we were clear to go back in,” said Principal Brian Bambauer. Fire officials said the timing of the drill was perfect and that the students learned first hand how important it is to know what to do in an emergency. Two employees suffered minor smoke inhalation and were treated at the school; there were no other injuries. Investigators have labeled the incident an accident.
Primary / Secondary School, School / University Columbia, MD – Dryer fire in high school locker room contained by sprinkler system March 16, 2016 viking210 Emergency crews responded to a Howard County school Tuesday morning after a fire broke out in a dryer in the locker room. According to Howard County Fire and EMS, they were told there was fire in the locker room at Oakland Mills High School around 7:30 a.m. The fire originated in the dryer and stayed confined to it after the sprinkler system was activated. Crews put out the fire by 8 a.m. Unites are currently ventilating the structure, restoring systems and making sure the school is safe for students to return. No injuries were reported and the fire is under investigation.
