The Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, made international news in 1999 for one of the most deadly school shootings in American history. The school is still open, although it was briefly closed after a fire broke out on Wednesday.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Per a report by South Metro Fire Rescue on
Facebook, the fire brigade responded to a call from the Columbine High School on Wednesday, February 26, at around 10:47 am. A School Resource Officer reported a fire in the woodworking area of the school specifically. The fire was reportedly contained in a 'sawdust area' and was smoldering.The post explains that firefighters located a fire in an exterior wood dust collector.
South Metro Fire Rescue posted a
short video of the incident on their Facebook page. A firefighter walks into a workshop on campus full of equipment like wood and table saws. The firefighter radios his colleagues to explain that the power is isolated before heading inside.A small but sudden explosion from the corner of the room startled the fireman, who quickly walked outside and said, "Alright, we've got an explosion. Inside." The South Metro Fire Rescue also shows the explosion from a different angle outside. Smoke appears to be pouring out of an external ventilation system before exploding in a ball of flames.
The social media post explains the probable cause for the fireball. Crews reportedly checked the dust collector by removing filters from the outside of the structure. The removal introduced more oxygen into the collector, triggering a dust explosion. The fire reportedly extended into the school's air ducts, so firefighters had to use roof access to stop the spread.
Columbine High School Was Evacuated And Closed
Columbine High School officials evacuated the school so firefighters could continue their work. The fire brigade reportedly controlled the fire before it spread further and ventilated the building. Investigators believe a faulty dust collector caused the fire, and no foul play is suspected.
The South Metro Fire Rescue post concludes that a pair of firefighters sustained minor injuries but were wearing protective equipment at the time. Some students were reportedly evacuated for medical needs, but nobody required hospital treatment.
