Maintenance personnel who were trying to defrost pipes at Bethel Regional High School reported a fire under the A Wing of the school on Sunday, Jan 28. They worked on keeping it under control until firefighters arrived.
“Some of the maintenance personnel of the school were attempting to thaw pipes underneath the gym section of the building,” said Bethel Fire Chief Daron Solesbee. “And there was a malfunction with the heating unit that did cause a fire. The maintenance personnel did notice the fire, and they responded with setting a fire alarm and also using the dry chemical fire extinguisher. Unfortunately, one of the individuals did receive some minor injuries and need to seek medical assistance and went to the hospital for that. But they were able to suppress the fire enough until we got there.”
The fire department got the call shortly before lunch at 11:42 a.m. and sent out two fire engines and a medic unit. Solesbee said that the fire was caused by a mechanical failure on a heating unit.
“And then our crew arrived on scene about 11:49 [a.m.] and pulled hose lines and extinguished the fire,” Solesbee said. “And then we checked everything for hotspots; we did notice that there was quite a bit of smoke inside the building and that wing. So we set up ventilation fans after we checked for any sort of fire extension and it was clear, but we just needed to move the smoke out.”
The high school’s A Wing was closed on Jan. 29 due to the smokey smell and to make a full assessment and cleaning. The A Wing houses the school’s cafeteria and gym, so students ate lunch in the lobby. Sports practices were also canceled. The school didn’t report any serious damage, and the A-wing is scheduled to reopen Tuesday, Jan 30.
Solesbee said that the school was lucky to have a fire extinguisher around, and to have called the fire department quickly.
“So we recommend that number one, that any mechanical heaters, forced air heaters, you know, they be in good mechanical condition. So just make sure that they're maintained well. If there's any visible damage on them, make sure that they're checked out by a qualified person,” Solesbee said. “And then also make sure that they stay away from things that might catch on fire. We recommend at least 3 feet away, any sort of heaters, you know, any combustible materials. So just keep an eye on stuff. Always make sure that you are watching them. Don't just leave them in a room and leave your house, because that does cause quite a few fires here in the state.”
Solesbee said that the fire department hopes that the individual who sustained minor burns can heal soon. In an email, Lower Kuskokwim School District (LKSD) Superintendent Kimberly Hankins thanked the Bethel Fire Department, Bethel Police Department, and LKSD staff and contractors for their assistance with responding to the fire.
