Small School Store Fire Causes Evacuation

By James Brierton
ST. JAMES (TheMatadorOnline.com) - A small fire in the Smithtown High School East school store caused a brief evacuation of the school Monday.

Around noon, smoke began pouring out of the microwave in the school store. As a precaution, the fire alarm was activated and students and staff evacuated the building.

Despite a cool breeze and some light rain, students and staff stood in staging areas around the building for much of seventh period as the situation was brought under control. The St. James Fire Department could be seen arriving on the north side of the building around 12:30 p.m.

No damage was reported to the school store and no one was injured in the incident.

Live: Fire Alarm Activation

Live Posts:
During Monday's brief evacauation, TheMatadorOnline.com's James Brierton sent updates from his wireless device to the Web.

12:20 pm : students and staff remain outside high school east much of seventh period after an activation of the fire alarm shortly after noon. The cause of the activation remains unknown. No fire department personnel can be seen from my vantage point on the north side of the building. Updates on thematadoronline.com as we get them.- james brierton reporting

12:30 pm : one fire truck and a chief's vehicle have arrived on the north side of the building. No visible signs of a fire.

Apx. 12:40 pm : All students and staff have returned to the building

During breaking news events such as on Monday, TheMatadorOnline.com uses remote access to our newsroom to post updates through what is called 'Live Blogging.' Short segments of information, rather than complete articles, are sent from our reporters in the field to the Web. At the conclusion of the incident, the newsroom compiles all the reports and puts together a finished publication.

Faulty Fire Alarm Causes Early Morning Confusion

Just prior to the beginning of first period Thursday, the fire alarm was unexpectedly activated.

Students and staff stood outside until the all clear was give around 7:45 a.m.

Today was the fourth day the alarm was unexpectedly activated. The alarm also left students and staffed puzzled on 10/21, 10/8 and 9/17. The alarm was unexpectedly activated multiple times on those days due to a "faulty smoke detector head." An e-mail to teachers Thursday morning again blamed the evacuation on a "faulty smoke detector head."

The Matador will have more on this story as details become available.

Fire Alarm Continues to Malfunction

Many East students are commenting Tuesday morning about how routine post-fire drill evacuations have become. For at least the second time this year a faulty smoke sensor is being blamed for the reason students and teachers had to evacuate the building.

Following a scheduled third period fire drill, the fire alarm sounded unexpectedly during both fourth and fifth period. Members of the Suffolk County Police Department and St. James Fire Department responded to both unscheduled fire alarm activations.

Around 10:15 a.m. the 'all clear' allowing students and staff to reenter the building. By 10:20 a.m. the alarm was sounding once again.

At 10:40 a.m. the third 'all-clear' was given and students and staff were allowed to reenter the building. Minutes later Mr. Thompson addressed the campus across the PA system, where he explained a fire smoke sensor had caused the alarm activations. With officials working to fix a faulty alarm system, Thompson has announced the building should only be evacuated upon direction over the PA system.

The second half of fourth period and the first half of fifth period classes were missed due to the evacuation.

Update: Fire Alarm Puzzles Students, Teachers

Students and teachers had an unexpected recess Wednesday during 5th period.

A day after students and staff were left outside for most of 5th period Wednesday, we now know what caused the fire alarm to unexpectedly activate around 10:15 a.m. "It turned out to be a faulty alarm head in a storage room," said assistant principal Mr. Rose in an e-mail to building staff.

A preplanned fire drill during 2nd period, shortly after 8 a.m., evacuated the building for a few short minutes. But the alarm was activated again around 10:15 a.m. unexpectedly. Within moments of the alarm activation, the St. James Fire Department was notified of the situation and began to gather their crews. Minutes later the fire department arrived on scene with at least two fire engines, one rescue truck and an ambulance. From the south side of the building the trucks could be seen entering the campus but then disappeared behind the north side of the building.

Witnesses on the north side of the building tell The Matador Online the situation remained calm as officials and fire crews searched the area.

The notification of the fire department is a routine measure taken when the alarm is unexpectedly activated.

Shortly before 11 a.m. the 'all clear' was given and students and staff were allowed to reenter the building. No one was injured during Wednesday's incident.