Less than halfway through first period on Thursday, students heard the familiar sound of the school’s fire alarm. Considering there was a false alarm the day before, and numerous others this year, many students thought nothing of it and some were happy to get out of their first-period class.
Photo: Jack LaDuke (Plattsburgh Press-Republican)
As students assembled in their appointed location to be counted, it became clear that this wasn’t a normal false alarm. As fire trucks arrived, they laid thick, heavy hoses on the school’s driveway. One of the firefighters donned an air pack and ran into the building with a fire extinguisher. As faculty and firefighters scrambled around the first truck to arrive on the scene, it became clear that this was a real emergency. A dorm room on Third East was on fire and smoke was in the hallway.
Kyle Bavis ‘19 is one of the two students who resides in the room affected by the fire. Bavis was in class at the time, but his roommate was sound asleep in the room and was woken up by the alarm. “I came out of class thinking nothing was wrong and it was a regular fire drill, but my roommate came out and said our room was on fire I was both shocked and worried.”
Bavis’s roommate was treated for a minor burn on his foot. Both roommates have been moved to other dorm rooms while the affected room is cleaned and repaired.
First period was rescheduled to the end of the day. Second-period classes normally held in the main building were canceled, but otherwise, the academic day went on normally.
Head of School Mr. Michael Maher sent this announcement to the community later in the morning:
To the Northwood School Community:
I am writing to inform you of an incident at Northwood School this morning. During first period, the school’s fire detection and alarm system was activated, and the school was evacuated according to our usual procedures. All Students, faculty, and staff were quickly accounted for and safe.
Faculty and maintenance staff found smoke and a small fire in the affected dormitory room and extinguished the fire.
The Lake Placid Fire Department arrived shortly thereafter, and by third period, all classes resumed normally. One student suffered minor burns and was treated at the scene and is back in class. Parents of the students in the affected dorm room were immediately notified.
The Northwood School community is grateful for the fast response and professional service of the Lake Placid Fire Department and other emergency services that responded.
Should you have any questions, please contact John Spear, the newly-appointed Assistant Head of School Life (spearj@northwoodschool.com and 518-302-5123).
Michael Maher
Head of School
