Updated: June 7, 2019 - 12:01 p.m.
Shawnee Fire Investigators say the fire at Mill Valley High School, 5900 Monticello Road, late Thursday
evening was accidental.
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| Shawnee firefighters work on the roof of the school to keep the fire from extending into the building. All photos ©Mike Frizzell - Operation 100 News |
Fire Marshal Corey Sands says firefighters were alerted of the fire by calls to
911 about 9:30 p.m. Those calls were followed closely by a call from an alarm
company reporting the building’s fire alarm had activated.
“Our crews arrived to find fire on the outside of the building, where the construction is occurring at the high school,” Sands said. “They got it taken care of pretty quick.”
Sands said the fire had extended to the roofline of the building, which firefighters also caught and extinguished quickly.
“Our crews arrived to find fire on the outside of the building, where the construction is occurring at the high school,” Sands said. “They got it taken care of pretty quick.”
Sands said the fire had extended to the roofline of the building, which firefighters also caught and extinguished quickly.
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| Firefighters retrieve equipment off of one apparatus. Additional photos below report. |
Unified School District 232 sent an email to families in the district informing
them of the fire. The message says that the fire occurred on the outside of the
building in an area where demolition work is underway for the addition of a
competitive gymnasium.
“We are grateful that our emergency systems worked as planned, which is why the fire department arrived so quickly,’ the statement said. “There were no school activities taking place at the time of the fire and no fire damage to the interior.”
After hearing that several neighbors were talking about how they could smell smoke earlier in the evening, Fire Marshal Sands said, “we would encourage people if you do smell smoke, call 911.”
Sands said if the smell of smoke had been reported sooner, firefighters would have responded to investigate and worked to locate the source.
Fire investigators say the fire was caused by demolition crews using torches and saws to remove metal structural components.
"The metal and roofing material that was demolished was then placed in a pile up against the exterior wall of the high school," Fire Marshal Sands said. "The roofing material and foam roofing pieces used to insulate the roof actually insulated the fire for several hours when it was placed in a pile after the demolition."
Damage to the building is estimated at $2,500
Shawnee firefighters were assisted on the call by the Lenexa Fire Department and Overland Park Fire Department. Johnson County Med-Act was on scene with two ambulances and their firefighter rehabilitation unit due to the heat and humidity.
No injuries were reported.
“We are grateful that our emergency systems worked as planned, which is why the fire department arrived so quickly,’ the statement said. “There were no school activities taking place at the time of the fire and no fire damage to the interior.”
After hearing that several neighbors were talking about how they could smell smoke earlier in the evening, Fire Marshal Sands said, “we would encourage people if you do smell smoke, call 911.”
Sands said if the smell of smoke had been reported sooner, firefighters would have responded to investigate and worked to locate the source.
Fire investigators say the fire was caused by demolition crews using torches and saws to remove metal structural components.
"The metal and roofing material that was demolished was then placed in a pile up against the exterior wall of the high school," Fire Marshal Sands said. "The roofing material and foam roofing pieces used to insulate the roof actually insulated the fire for several hours when it was placed in a pile after the demolition."
Damage to the building is estimated at $2,500
Shawnee firefighters were assisted on the call by the Lenexa Fire Department and Overland Park Fire Department. Johnson County Med-Act was on scene with two ambulances and their firefighter rehabilitation unit due to the heat and humidity.
No injuries were reported.
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| Firefighters on scene awaiting their next assignment |
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| The fire and large response from firefighters attracted a large crowd. |
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| Firefighters work on the roof of the building. |
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| The Lenexa Fire Department's mobile ventilation unit of 'Vent 94' was brought in to help remove smoke from the building. |
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| Johnson County Med-Act Paramedics established a firefighter rehabilitation area. All firefighters cycle through this area between rotations. This allows them to hydrate and have their vitals monitored |
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