Shared from Hays CISD
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: March 24, 2022
JHS Classes Canceled for Friday, March 25 Because of Fire
Students and teachers will not be able to return to class at Johnson High School on Friday, March 25, 2022. The district will need an extra day to recover from the small fire that occurred Thursday morning. Crews will work Thursday evening and during the day Friday to continue to vent out smoke and odor, clean up water from the sprinkler system, and reset and retest the master fire alarm system.
The fire suppression sprinklers worked as intended, but the campus had to use the campus public address system to order the evacuation. The automatic audible warning alarm on the fire suppression system did not engage as it was supposed to do.
“Earlier in the week, the campus experienced several false alarms with the automatic audible warning system. The alarm company made repairs, but there was clearly an issue again with that part of the system on Thursday morning,” said Tim Savoy, chief communication officer for Hays CISD. “The district, in concert with campus leadership, believes it’s best to keep the building closed Friday so that we can do what we need to do to make sure everything is cleaned up and working properly before students and teachers return to the building.”
School should resume on Monday at Johnson High School and the district has enough banked instructional minutes for the year so that students will not have to make up the missed days.
Retrieving Personal Property:
The campus will open on Friday morning, March 25th, from 8:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. for anyone who needs to enter the building to retrieve critical personal belongings they left behind during the evacuation. Johnson High School staff will be available to help individuals retrieve their property at that time. The campus asks those who can wait until Monday to retrieve their items to do so. The building will be secured through the weekend.
Earlier Information:
Johnson High School experienced a small fire on campus at approximately 10:00 a.m., on Thursday, March 24, 2022. The building was quickly and safely evacuated. The investigation into the cause of the fire is still underway; however, it appears to have started in a clothes dryer in the athletics wing laundry room. The fire was contained in the laundry room, but heavy smoke permeated throughout much of the building. Additionally, the fire sprinkler system activated in the athletic wing, leaving a large amount of water throughout the area.
The district appreciates the continued strong partnership it has with the Buda Fire Department and all first responders. They arrived quickly and were able to immediately address the emergency.
During the evacuation and subsequent early release, parents were informed via email, text message, the district’s smartphone app, and a phone call using the district’s automated parent alert system.
Contact:
Tim Savoy, Chief Communication Officer
(512)268-2141 ext. 6090
Tim.Savoy@hayscisd.net
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