Fire in Whittier Woods and third floor delays classes until 8:30 a.m.

May 6, 2010

fire crowds1 — After on their feet for an hour, students sat down in groups around the parking lot. Photo by Nikhil Gupta.

Students and staff waited outside for over an hour at the start of the school day May 6 for the fire marshal to clear the building after students reported two fires. Administration caught the student who started the fire later in the school day.

After noticing a fire in the third-floor stairwell, a student pulled the alarm at 7:15 a.m. Around the same time, another student notified teacher Sheryl Freedman after noticing smoke from a separate fire in the Whittier Woods hallway.

Administrators shortened morning classes by 15 minutes and proctors delayed the AP English Literature exam.

Teachers and students reported seeing small flames and billows of smoke. In the Whittier Woods hallway by the WAUD, the fire set off several Shakespeare club papers, according to Freedman.

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MCPS gas trucks arrived with fans to eliminate the smoke from the hallways.

Some students thought the alarm was just a routine fire drill.

“I didn’t think it was serious, because they were testing the alarms,” freshman Audrey Gould said. “But then I saw smoke from the hallway, so I walked out.”

Others enjoyed the warm morning sun, tailgating and lounging around with friends.

“I’m kinda happy about this,” junior Adoni Anagnostopoulos said. “It’s a nice break from everything.”

In February, a soap dispenser in a third-floor bathroom was also set on fire, right before dismissal.

fire update — Some students hung out in their cars while waiting for the fire marshal to clear the school. Photo by Nikhil Gupta.

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Comments (6)

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P

Prospective Student • May 22, 2010 at 3:15 am

Why do students set fire to things, what is the consequence for what they’ve done?

https://theblackandwhite.net/4070/uncategorized/fire-in-whittier-woods-and-third-floor-before-school-starts-delays-classes-until-830-a-m/#comment-1727
W

Whitman Student • May 10, 2010 at 10:11 pm

Whittier Woods is the old elementary school that is now attached to the high school, and the WAUD is the Whittier Auditorium

https://theblackandwhite.net/4070/uncategorized/fire-in-whittier-woods-and-third-floor-before-school-starts-delays-classes-until-830-a-m/#comment-1607
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Hunk • May 9, 2010 at 8:52 am

What is the “Whittier Woods hallway” and the “WAUD”? Not everybody who reads this goes to the school. A good reporter would spell it out the first time that he writes it.

https://theblackandwhite.net/4070/uncategorized/fire-in-whittier-woods-and-third-floor-before-school-starts-delays-classes-until-830-a-m/#comment-1596
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... • May 8, 2010 at 12:50 am

i wouldnt call it tailgating when people were forcibly removed from their cars with the threat of losing their spot.

https://theblackandwhite.net/4070/uncategorized/fire-in-whittier-woods-and-third-floor-before-school-starts-delays-classes-until-830-a-m/#comment-1592
J

Joe the Plumber • May 6, 2010 at 9:57 pm

IT’S OVER 9000!!!!!!!!!!!

https://theblackandwhite.net/4070/uncategorized/fire-in-whittier-woods-and-third-floor-before-school-starts-delays-classes-until-830-a-m/#comment-1589
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Whitman student • May 6, 2010 at 4:39 pm

great job getting the story up so quickly!

https://theblackandwhite.net/4070/uncategorized/fire-in-whittier-woods-and-third-floor-before-school-starts-delays-classes-until-830-a-m/#comment-1587