Primary / Secondary School, School / University Wheeling, IL – Fire at high school quickly extinguished by sprinkler system December 14, 2018 viking210 No cause has been identified in a small fire that led to the evacuation of Wheeling High School, 900 S. Elmhurst Rd., at approximately 1:45 p.m. Friday (Dec. 7). According to Wheeling Deputy Fire Chief Michael McGreal, the fire was contained to a storage closet near the rear of the school’s woodshop and was related to filters on a spray booth for paint and lacquer. There were no injuries and only minimal damage, with the closet cleaned and ready for use the same day. McGreal said the school’s sprinkler system activated quickly, dousing the fire before it could become a serious danger. However, as a precaution, students stayed outside for around 20 minutes while fire crews cleared the scene. “We tried to get the kids in as soon as possible, because it was very cold,” McGreal told the Journal & Topics.
