Rockport Heights Elementary School, 3871 Jeffco Blvd., in Arnold was evacuated this afternoon, Oct. 17, after a teacher reported that she may have seen smoke coming from either a pottery kiln or a wall outlet. There was no fire, but the school was cleared as a precaution, officials from the Fox C-6 School District and Rock Community Fire Protection District reported.
Rock Fire spokeswoman Stephanie Jackson said a teacher had used a kiln for the first time this school year, and she smelled something burning and thought she saw smoke coming from either the kiln or the wall outlet it was plugged into at the school.
JP Prezzavento, Fox’s communications and instructional technology coordinator, said the smoke was seen at about 1 p.m., and the building’s 400 students and 65 employees were evacuated.
Jackson said the school called Rock Fire at about 1:05 p.m., and the first firefighters arrived at about 1:06 p.m. When they entered the building, there was no smoke, and the firefighters did not see smoke coming from either the kiln or wall outlet.
“It seems like the kiln may have overheated, and out of an abundance of caution, they called 911 and activated a first alarm,” Jackson said. “The electric to the panel box for the kiln was shut off, and (the firefighters) told the school before the kiln is turned back on that the manufacturer of the kiln should check it out and a third-party electric company should check the outlet for the kiln. After that, our inspectors will do a follow-up inspection.”
Prezzavento said everyone was allowed to re-enter the building at about 1:15 p.m., and Jackson said Rock Fire personnel left the school at about 1:30 p.m.