A fire broke out at Alvirne High School on Dec. 11, at approximately 7:50 a.m., prompting a response from local fire departments. Students were dismissed from school at 10 a.m., and all after-school activities were cancelled for the day.
Once the fire was reported, sources confirm that students quickly and safely evacuated the building. Firefighters were able to contain the fire, and no injuries were reported.
Principal Rick Barnes sent out a series of emails to staff and families that day, informing them about the situation and how they could act appropriately to students affected.
Junior Sadie Moore was in her Air Force JROTC 1 class when it happened.
“The teachers kept yelling at us to put away our phones, but we just thought it was a drill,” Moore said. “We started to realize it wasn’t when we saw and heard fire trucks and police cars, and then we had to move over for the fire trucks to fit through.”
Moore confirmed that upon arrival at the LHS campus, they were led to meetings with guidance counselors, where they spent time with students who may have been impacted by the incident.
”They asked us if we were okay and [said] if we ever needed to talk, we could talk with them,” Moore said.
Following the meeting with guidance and necessary administration, students were sent back to class and continued their academic day at LHS. Alvirne classes were canceled for the remainder of the day.
Moore said not only was the incident “scary” and “cold,” but she also said that it is important for students to “remember that these things can happen.” Moore also expressed gratitude for LHS being “very caring.”
Sophomore Chris Murray was another Londonderry student in the CTE building at the time of the incident. Murray was in his Heavy-Duty Mechanics class when the fire alarm sounded. Murray said the issue was dealt with very well and said future issues may be better dealt with now that students have experienced it.
“Even though I was on the other side of the building from the fire,” Murray said, “it was still pretty nerve-racking because I have never been in a situation where there is an active fire going on inside of a place there shouldn’t be.”
Murray said that although the incident is unlikely to affect the broader Alvirne population, it may have an impact on those who have faced certain scenarios in different “nerve-wracking situations.”
“For the kids who lost a classroom and some of their personal belongings due to the fire and flood from the sprinkler system,” Murray said, “I could imagine that things could be different for them now.”
