Students were in for a cold surprise toward the end of Red 1 on October 27 when they had to evacuate the building due to an oven fire in the cafeteria kitchen. The fire caused no damage to the building and there were no injuries to the lunch lady staff or students. Students missed approximately the last 20 minutes of first hour but went on to enrichment right afterward.

The fire sparked as a result of an accident, according to principal Jay Tapia. Tapia said that the oven’s gas was meant to be turned off with one knob on the stove, but another knob was turned instead, causing the fire to spark. Fortunately, the fire had no material to burn and there was no damage to the building. Tapia said, “The way it’s hooked up, it’s pretty much all metal on the backside of the stove, so it [the fire] just shot up there, but there’s nothing really to catch fire, and it was extinguished quickly.” As soon as the gas was capped off, students were allowed to re-enter the building and continue about the day. 

Temperatures outside were freezing, and students could see their breath as they gathered with their individual classes outside the building. Students who evacuated from the 28 building were allowed into the basement of the tech building until they were let back into the main building.