No Students Injured as Sprinkler
System Saves School
March 16, 2010
Tuesday
Ketchikan, Alaska - The Ketchikan Fire Department personnel responded
to a report of "a fire inside the pre-school and gymnasium"
at Holy Name Catholic School on Monday at 11:52 A.M. The school
is located at 433 Jackson St.. Ketchikan Fire Department personnel
arrived within 3 minutes of the call, confirmed a fire in a restroom,
and the activation of the school's fire sprinkler system said
Chief Jim Hill.
The area of origin
and fire damage
Photo Courtesy Frank Divelbiss, Ketchikan Fire Department
According to information provided by Hill, the first 9-1-1 report
of the fire came from a teacher at the school, moments later
that call was followed by a call from the company that monitors
the school's sprinkler system (Emergency-24). A third 9-1-1
call soon followed, also made by a teacher at Holy Name. Teachers
got all the children out of the school very quickly, following
the school's fire drill evacuation plan.
Ketchikan personnel confirmed
the fire was in a restroom and that the sprinkler system had
extinguished the fire said Hill. After making sure the fire
had been extinguished, fire personnel shut down the sprinkler
system and started salvage operations and water cleanup. Smoke
and fire damage was limited to the bathroom where the fire originated
with some water cleanup in a classroom, hallway and gymnasium.
Fire damage and water cleanup are estimated at $10,000 to the
school with an estimated value of $2,000,000 said Hill.
The adjacent classroom
Photo Courtesy Frank Divelbiss, Ketchikan Fire Department
The three-story building has classrooms and offices on the top
floor with some classrooms and the kitchen on the lower level
where the fire occurred with the gymnasium located one floor
below.
Hill said, Ketchikan Fire Department responded with one fire
engine, one ladder truck and five support vehicles. A total
of 18 Ketchikan Fire Department personnel responded to the call.
Units cleared the scene at 1:08 PM. There were no injuries
to fire personnel, children or teachers. The cause of the fire
was attributed to a candle in the bathroom, which ignited a soap
dispenser on fire.
Source of News & Photographs:
Ketchikan Fire Department
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