Fire that resulted in evacuation of school 'suspicious in nature': RCMP STEPHENVILLE FRANK GALE The Western Star

Stephenville High School was evacuated and students sent home as a result of a small fire in a bathroom Tuesday morning. — Star photo by Frank Gale

Cpl. Mary Gale of the Stephenville RCMP would only say that a fire at Stephenville High School on Tuesday morning was “suspicious in nature.”

Fire Chief Wayne Reilly of the Stephenville Fire Department confirmed it was a small fire, located in an upstairs bathroom, and that produced a significant amount of smoke, enough to have the school evacuated and the students sent home for the day.

“A soap dispenser was burned producing a lot of smoke in the bathroom and some got out into the hallway,” he said. “This triggered an evacuation of the school that was done in a very timely fashion.”

Reilly said the department received the call at 9:05 a.m. to the school, which has an enrollment of 586 students.

Students and staff were located on the school grounds and shortly after school buses were contacted to come and pick up the students. Walkers were told they could walk home or hop a bus that was taking students to different locations in town.

Brian Feltham, assistant director of education for finance and administration with Western School District, said although students left the building with whatever they were wearing, arrangements were made on Tuesday afternoon, between 12 noon and 2 p.m., for them to retrieve personal belongings.

The board has a professional company hired, who were in the school on Tuesday afternoon and who feel that with such minor damage they should be able to prepare the school for a Thursday morning opening. The school board is being guided by the work this company is doing.

Feltham was pleased as well with how quickly the students and staff evacuated the school as well as the response by the Stephenville Fire Department and the RCMP, when they were called.

He said schools are required to carry out a minimum of 10 fire drills a year and while it’s hoped a real situation won’t arise, when something like this occurs you have to be pleased to see the fire drill plans work out.

The RCMP has the matter under investigation and there were no injuries as a result of the fire and resulting evacuation.