Yet another reminder to us:
1. It is not always a high-powered research lab
2. We really do need to check before we leave every single day..
sjs
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FIRE SCORCHES LABORATORY OF FULLERTON SCHOOL; AFTER-SCHOOL PARTICIPANTS
EVACUATED ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
https://www.ocregister.com/2020/01/22/fire-scorches-laboratory-of-fullerton-
school-after-school-participants-evacuated/
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, fire, response, unknown_chemical
Teachers evacuated students from a Fullerton elementary school after
spotting smoke in a lab that caught fire Wednesday, Jan. 22.
The fire broke out at Laguna Road Elementary School, 300 W. Laguna Rd., at
about 3: 20 p.m., Fullerton/Brea Fire Department Division Chief Kathy
Schaefer said. Faculty who saw smoke billowing inside an unoccupied science
lab immediately notified authorities and escorted students away from the
area.
³They shut the door to the lab and evacuated, which was excellent,²
Schaeffer said. ³That likely helped limit the spread of the fire.²
Classes were not in session at the time, but an after-school program was in
progress at the time the fire was reported, Schaefer said. There were less
than 30 students on campus and several faculty members, none of whom were
injured.
Smoke was visible from the street when the first crews arrived to douse the
burning structure, Schaefer said. About 40 firefighters from the Fullerton,
Anaheim and Los Angeles County Fire Departments responded, and the fire was
extinguished at about 3:52 p.m.
The fire scorched the 30-square-foot lab it originated in and part of an
adjacent library, Schaefer said. However, it did not spread further, and
most classes will proceed as scheduled on Thursday.
The cause of the blaze remained unclear Wednesday evening, Schaefer said.
Investigators had just started to examine the damage at about 4 p.m.
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--
Stephen J. Stepenuck, Ph.D.
Emeritus professor of chemistry
Keene State College
Keene NH 03435-2001
sstepenuck@xxxxxxxxx
603.352.7540
