Category Archives: Primary / Secondary School

Tyler, TX – Sprinkler system helped contain fire in high school science room

The Tyler Fire Department brought a fire in a science room at John Tyler High School under control about 6 p.m. Wednesday, District Chief Cordell Parker said.

The fire department received a general fire alarm about 5:30 p.m. The first fire unit on the scene reported smoke, prompting a regular fire alarm and additional units from the fire department responded, including three fire engines and a ladder truck.

Hopkinton, MA – Suspicious fire in school faculty bathroom extinguished by sprinkler system

State and local authorities are investigating a suspicious bathroom fire at Hopkins School on Monday that forced the school’s evacuation. The fire, located in a second floor faculty bathroom, was extinguished by the school’s sprinkler system, Deputy Fire Chief Bill Miller said on Tuesday.

The Hayden Rowe Street school was evacuated after the sprinkler system activated the fire alarm at 9:09 a.m. Miller said the fire caused minor damage, but there was water damage in the bathroom.

“They discovered a suspicious fire in the second floor bathroom,” Miller said. Miller would not discuss details of the fire, citing the open investigation. According to the Hopkinton Police log, an arson investigator from the state’s Fire Marshal’s Office came to the scene to help investigate.

Miller said school resumed about an hour after the fire and no one was injured. “The school did a phenomenal job of evacuating the students and following all plans and procedures,” Miller said.  Police spokesman Lt. Joseph Bennett said police are continuing to investigate the fire. Bennett would not release much information, citing the fire is still under investigation. Although the bathroom is a faculty bathroom, it was also open to student use.

Jennifer Mieth, a spokeswoman for the state Fire Marshal’s Office, said the cause of the fire has not been determined, but it appears to be intentionally set.

She said school fires are not uncommon. In 2015 there were 149 school fires. The majority of which were cooking related, but many were also set fires.

“Most of them were small,” said Mieth. “Although all fires start small.”

Hopkinton Public School Superintendent Cathy MacLeod said school administrators spent the day going from classroom to classroom explaining what occurred. She said the goal was to both make the students comfortable at the school, as well as to prevent the spread of rumors

Louisville, KY – Fire at middle school put out by sprinkler system; Fire started in tablet charging station

The de Paul School students have a longer weekend thanks to an overnight fire.  The fire broke out around 7:00 PM Sunday night on a cart that charges tablets.   According to Tony Kemper, head of school, no one was on campus during the fire and only the cart was damaged.   The school’s sprinkler system put out the fire, but water from the sprinklers seeped from the third to first floor.

Class was canceled Monday as a restoration company helped with water cleanup. “There’s no structural damage, just a bit of restoration work they need to get done,” said Kemper.

The de Paul School will be closed Tuesday as cleanup continues. Students should return to class Wednesday.

Grand Junction, CO – Sprinkler system puts out fire started during middle school basketball game

Spectators and participants in a basketball game at Bookcliff Middle School were evacuated Tuesday night after a fire started in one of the school’s bathrooms, the Grand Junction Fire Department said.

Fire officials said the school’s sprinkler system put the fire out and there was no active fire when crews arrived on scene.

GJFD said there was minimal damage. Classes took place as usual on Wednesday.

Officials are investigating the cause of the fire.

New London, CT – Evening fire at elementary school confined to one classroom by sprinkler system

A fire at the Winthrop STEM Elementary Magnet School has been knocked down, according to New London Fire Chief Henry Kydd Jr. The fire, which began about 9 p.m. Friday evening, caused the sprinkler system to go off and was confined to one classroom, the chief said. There were no injuries reported.

Two custodians, who heard the fire alarm go off and evacuated, said they were the only people in the school at the time. Superintendent Manuel J. Rivera, at the scene, said school officials will need to assess the scene when firefighters finish their work to see how it will impact operations. However, with the long weekend, he said they are optimistic that building staff will be able to get the school in shape for the return of students on Tuesday. No further information was available.

Westerly, RI – Closet fire at high school extinguished with help from sprinkler system

A small fire that started in the closet of a technology room at Westerly High School Tuesday was caused by an electrical malfunction in a piece of audio-visual equipment being stored in the closet.

Westerly Fire Chief John Mackay said Wednesday that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the fire, adding that the school’s sprinkler system worked effectively and aided firefighters in quickly containing and extinguishing the small closet fire. The fire never spread outside the closet, officials said, and no injuries were reported.

Westerly firefighters and police were dispatched to the high school just after 3:15 p.m. Tuesday with reports of a box alarm sounding. They arrived to find black smoke coming from a closet in the tech room closest to the gymnasium foyer. Mackay said the sprinkler system had already doused most of the flames by the time firefighters arrived.

Classes were back in session on Wednesday.

Bradenton, FL – Generator fire at high school contained to room of origin by sprinkler system

No injuries were reported Friday during a fire in a generator at Braden River High School, according to the East Manatee Fire Rescue.

“It was contained to the room of origin,” said East Manatee Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Stacey Bailey. “The fire sprinkler put out the fire, so it did exactly what it’s supposed to do.”

About 20 firefighters were dispatched at 4:41 p.m. to the school located at 6545 State Road 70 E., Bradenton. Bailey said the fire took place in an electrical room that is part of the main school building.

“There were no students present,” Bailey said. “The staff did an outstanding job. The high school staff did exactly what they were supposed to do. They followed their emergency protocols.”

There was extensive water damage as a result of the fire. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to fire officials.

Cumming, GA – Arson fire at high school extinguished by sprinkler system

Two Forsyth County Schools had three fires recently.  In the first fire, an apparent arsonist reportedly set a roll of toilet paper on fire Aug. 12 in the boy’s bathroom at North Forsyth High School.  The sprinkler system extinguished the fire before deputies arrived.  The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office reported deputies first thought it was an electrical fire, but it was “quickly determined to be arson.”  Authorities could not give other details as the case remains under investigation.

Graves County, KY – Sprinklers help put out fire at middle school caused by malfunctioning soda machine

The need for caffeine at Graves County Middle School caused quite a commotion overnight.

According to the school district, a soda machine the food lab malfunctioned and created a small fire.

That fire set off sprinklers and alarms in the school.

Superintendent Kim Dublin said, “Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire. Quite a bit of water went into a couple of classrooms; but the damage was mostly contained to the food lab.”

Crews spent Tuesday morning cleaning up the mess left behind.

According to Dublin, seventh grade orientation will still take place at the school tonight.

Opening day activities for faculty and staff will still go on as planned on Wednesday.

Classes begin on Thursday.

Lakeville, MN – Overnight fire at middle school contained by sprinkler system

Firefighters are trying to figure out exactly where and how an early morning fire started at a Lakeville school.

A captain with the Lakeville Fire Department says the alarms at Kenwood Trail Middle School went off about 2 a.m. Wednesday.

Fire officials say it appears the fire started on the roof.

The sprinkler system put most of the fire out by the time firefighters arrived.

The sprinklers caused water damage on the first and second floors of the school.

In a letter to parents, the school district says the school custodial crew is working to repair the water damage in a couple of classrooms, the media center, AV room and a stairwell.

School officials say it won’t affect the start of classes for the upcoming school year.