Fire alarm empties building

Students and faculty left Blair at the end of eighth period today because of a fire alarm that closed the building.

Nobody was hurt in the incident, and the alarm did not cause any major problems because the regular school day was just concluding. However, night school was disrupted and many students were unable to retrieve items they left in the building while exiting.

Sprinklers in the weight room were activated when football coach Earl Lindsey hit one while jumping rope and damaged it. The damage caused the sprinkler system to lose pressure throughout the building, rendering Blair unsafe and forcing administrators to close the building. The system did not suffer permanent damage.

Students in the area of the weight room reported faintly smelling smoke, but there was no other indication of fire. When students tried to exit the building near the weight room, staff members "started herding us back, not letting us walk through the building," said junior Patrick Conrad.

School was held on the regular schedule on the following day.