High school evacuated due to smoke
CONNELLSVILLE – An electrical surge was the apparent cause of smoke in several Connellsville Area High School classrooms Thursday, according to the city fire chief. The 1 p.m. alarm came after teachers in the second floor computer classrooms spotted smoke emanating from electrical sockets, said Connellsville fire Chief Dennis Petrowski.
“Teachers said they heard popping noises and then saw the smoke,” he said.
Approximately 1,000 students and staff members were evacuated from the building as a precautionary measure while firefighters from New Haven Hose Volunteer Fire Co. and Connellsville Township Volunteer Fire Department aided the city responders to check the building, said district high school principal Nick Bosnic.
Students were placed in the auditorium about 35 minutes after being evacuated, Bosnic said.
District Superintendent David R. Goodin said that building and grounds director Michael Omatick and maintenance personnel were assessing the situation to determine repair work.
“There was no structural damage or fire,” he said.
It was unknown if any equipment was damaged by the electrical power surge.
Connellsville police and Fayette EMS also responded and assisted firefighters at the scene.