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Chemainus Secondary evacuated as a precaution from fire call

Basement smell checked out but nothing found by fire crews
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Students from Chemainus Secondary School were evacuated as a precaution Tuesday. (File photo by Don Bodger)

Students were briefly evacuated from Chemainus Secondary School Tuesday while fire crews checked out a suspicious smell from the school’s basement.

Crews from the North Cowichan Fire Department’s Chemainus hall and an engine from Crofton responded after receiving a call about a smell in the basement area.

The school was fully evacuated to be on the cautious side.

“Fire crews checked out the area of concern and found nothing,” said North Cowichan Fire Department chief Martin Drakeley.

Principal Jaime Doyle reported in a post to the school community it was a malfunctioning sprinkler.

Students and teachers were outside, he noted, until given the all-clear.

“We adjusted lunch and afternoon blocks to accommodate the disruption,” Doyle added.



Don Bodger

About the Author: Don Bodger

I've been a part of the newspaper industry since 1980 when I began on a part-time basis covering sports for the Ladysmith-Chemainus Chronicle.
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