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A sudden fire alarm during Lunch 2 led to an unexpected all school evacuation on a slightly chilly but clear fall afternoon, Wednesday, November 13th.
The incident, which some students expected to be a routine drill, quickly turned more serious as emergency services arrived on scene.
One day prior, the district informed parents through an email, pictured below, about a loss of heat due to the construction issues:
Dear Avonworth Middle/ High School Parents and Caregivers,
Our contractors had an issue with the gas line at the secondary campus, which required it to be turned off toward the end of the day today. The gas line will be repaired tomorrow, November 13, 2024. To complete this repair, the gas supply will remain off until the repairs are complete. As a result, we will not have heat or hot water on the secondary campus tomorrow.
The contractor has assured us that it is safe for students and staff to occupy the building tomorrow. Therefore, the High School and Middle School will operate on a normal schedule on November 13.
Although we won’t have hot water, we will still have access to water. This means our bathrooms will be operational. In addition, we anticipate the temperature in the building will remain comfortable.
Lunch will still be available for purchase tomorrow. However, due to the lack of hot water, our Food Service Department will only be able to offer a cold lunch option for Middle and High School students.
Thank you for your understanding and support as we complete these necessary repairs.
Sincerely,
Jeff Hadley
Superintendent
Avonworth School District
One day later, the gas line issues led to an evacuation. Dr. Hadley addressed the issue later that evening to community members while explaining that the building would be open for school on Thursday.
This afternoon, our administration, fire chief, chief of police, construction team, and construction manager met to debrief…My top priority is the safety of our students and staff. If I have any questions or concerns about the safety of the building, I will not allow it to be occupied. Following today’s investigation and debrief, our fire chief and construction team have confirmed that the building is safe, and we have been cleared to reopen it. Therefore, the secondary building will operate normally tomorrow.
So what exactly happened today?
Two unrelated issues occurred today.
Increased CO2 Levels in Some Classrooms
We were told that the CO2 issue was unrelated to the gas being shut off. However, during the debriefing meeting, we learned otherwise. Due to the heat being shut off, dampers on the roof closed. The dampers close to prevent pipes from freezing when the air temperature is cold. Also, with the gas shut off and the boilers not running, the HVAC system was not operating and, therefore, not bringing fresh air into the building. Once the building became occupied, CO2 levels increased in some classrooms. The CO2 level in these classrooms was in the range of 1700-2000 parts per million.
The experts in our debriefing meeting explained that the building’s CO2 level was never hazardous. OSHA’s permissible level of CO2 for an eight-hour work day/40 hours a week is 5000 parts per million. Although the level was never hazardous, a person can experience discomfort when CO2 increases above 1000 parts per million.
Fire Alarm and Evacuation
The fire alarm activation was not related to the increase in CO2 levels. It was activated due to a water flow alarm malfunction. The fire alarm system is programmed to go off if it detects water flowing due to the sprinkler system’s activation. However, the sprinkler system was not activated, so this was a malfunction. This is being diagnosed and will be addressed.
Gas Line
Lastly, the gas line was repaired today. The gas has been turned back on, so the building has heat and hot water.
Following today’s dismissal, the fire department inspected and measured the building’s air quality. With the heat back on and the HVAC operating properly, their tests showed normal air quality. No location in the building continued to have increased levels of CO2.
Here are the accounts of Avonews Online writers who experienced the evacuation firsthand:
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**Greta Christof:**
“It was very sudden and caught many of us off guard. While we were glad to have an early release, it was a scary situation and many felt uneasy about the whole thing.”
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**Paxon Masters:**
“I was walking with my Chromebook in hand when the alarm went off, so I just carried that out. When we went to the field, I chatted with some friends, played some kids’ games, then tried to take a nap by using my Chromebook as a pillow.”
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**Laney Myers:**
“I was in LEAD, walking around with my friend. We had no teacher and our substitute was lost in a different classroom. I evacuated with my friend, then we waited outside for a little bit before heading to the football field.”
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**Isabelle Pecosh:**
“We got escorted out of LEAD onto the sidewalk and waited there for about 5 minutes (there was a random baby?). Then I sat on the field and waited with my friends who hadn’t shown up yet. I went back into the school to try to get my stuff.”
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**Elena Van Mater:**
“My experience was pretty neutral. I essentially stuck with my friends and listened to what the teachers were saying. We were all pretty relaxed for most of it, but no one really knew exactly what happened, so that was a little odd.”
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**Harmony Karwoski:**
“I had just gone to lunch when the alarm went off, and I left all of my things in the cafeteria. I sat at the field for a while with my friends. When we were allowed back inside, I quickly grabbed my things. Then my friends and I went to Sheetz for lunch since we hadn’t eaten. I went home, got ready for fall play rehearsal, and left for the church.”
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**Tria Witul:**
“It was a confusing experience. The school barely told us what was happening, and I could only go off of what others were saying. Everyone had a different explanation for why the alarm went off. I sat in the bleachers for about an hour, just talking to my friends, not knowing if I was going home or back into the school.”
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**Cassidy Walsh:**
“The first 20 minutes or so I was really stressed and confused because I worried there was a crisis occurring. I was one of the lucky few who got to go back in and get their stuff because Frau needed us for fall play practice, which still went on. From what I gathered, there maybe should have been more consideration about the effects of turning off the air in a building with 500 kids and no windows.”
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**Ava Monkelis:**
“I had just set my stuff down for lunch when the alarm started to go off, and I thought it was weird to have a drill during lunch. I left my things behind as instructed, but I had my phone in my pocket. On the way out, a lunch lady was yelling at people to get out, and the metal gate shut behind us. Then we heard sirens and knew it was more serious.”
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**William Fowler:**
“I was taken out of LEAD by the sound of the fire alarm. It sounded different than usual, and the teachers looked worried, so I could tell something was off. We waited outside for several hours, but in the end, it turned into an unexpected day off.”
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**Olivia Monkelis:**
“I was in LEAD talking to friends when the fire alarm went off. My teachers looked panicked. I wasn’t too worried but texted my parents to let them know what was going on. Half the grade evacuated to the field, and the other half stayed behind the school.”
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**Grace Bechtold:**
“I thought it was a drill at first because of the fire alarm, but it was during LEAD/lunch, so it didn’t make sense. It was cold outside, and I felt like I sat there for a while. I was allowed to go back in to get my keys. The cafeteria was dark and empty, but it almost felt like there was still life inside the building.”
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**Ella Ging:**
“I was pulling out my planner in LEAD when the alarm went off. I left everything except my phone, AirPods, and blanket. We waited outside for about 10 minutes before heading to the football field, where we stayed for over an hour.”
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**Ella Clarke:**
“I was about to take out my work during LEAD when the alarm went off. My class was one of the last to be directed to the field. Once there, I learned more about what happened. I contacted my parents and then talked with friends until we were allowed to leave.”
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**Sienna Schwartz:**
“I was away from the lunchroom making announcements to the 9th-grade LEAD classrooms. When the alarm went off, I was confused but mostly anxious about being cold outside. I was freezing, but a friend gave me a blanket. I evacuated without my belongings, and a firefighter later escorted me inside to get my phone and keys.”
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**Brune Jimenez-Corsetti:**
“I was next to the microwave waiting for my food when the alarm sounded. I grabbed my phone and left with a friend. We waited on the road before moving to the field. It felt like the drills we did earlier in the year. The 8th graders were playing games, and we heard music. Seeing the fire trucks and police cars made it clear this wasn’t just a drill. When they announced our classes were canceled, everyone cheered and headed to their cars.”
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Photos by J1 students Dylan Hendricks and Olivia Monkelis
