Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Jill Sperling

Parkcrest Fire

SD73 Board of Education hears details on Parkcrest Elementary Fire

Jan 14, 2020 | 3:48 PM

KAMLOOPS — School District 73 will be reviewing its reporting processes as part of recommendations given by Kamloops Fire Rescue following the fire at Parkcrest Elementary School on Sep. 5, 2019.

According to a report, shared with the board of education at Monday evening’s school board meeting, when the fire alarm initially went off inside the building, staff believed it to be false.

“One staff member thought that it was a false alarm and went to reset the panel,” said Superintendent of Schools Alison Sidow. “It would not reset and the alarm continued and shortly thereafter the staff evacuated and 911 was called.”

The attempt to reset the alarm delayed a response to the fire by nearly four minutes.

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“It’s difficult to speculate if three minutes and 45 seconds would have made a difference,” said Fire Chief Mike Adams, “given that the fire was in a void space, obviously trying to find detection, but again, the sooner we’re informed obviously the better.”

Although no official cause has been determined, the fire investigator said the most likely origin was the HVAC system within a concealed space above four classrooms.

In November 2015, the school was evacuated and KFR was called for an odour caused by an HVAC unit.

“An investigation occurred with the officer there and school staff,” Adams said. “And, we’re satisfied that every precaution was taken and at that moment before our officers cleared. Following up on what I understand from their maintenance department I understand they did a tremendous job in ensuring the building was fire safe and we wouldn’t have another occurence.”

The next month, a similar incident was not reported to KFR.

“This time there was a partial evacuation,” Sidow said. “That incident was not reported to senior administration, however it did go to maintenance. It was not reported to KFR as well. At that time, maintenance and our director determined that the insulation and the glue that was overheating needed to be removed, it was removed, the situation was rectified.”

While none of the previous fire incidents have been definitively linked to the incident last September, KFR has asked the school district to report any suspected fire in order that they might investigate and provide suggestions for prevention of future problems.

Board Chair Kathleen Karpuk says she’s not concerned by the previous incidents.

“That was rectified at the time,” she said. “I think four years between any incidents, that pretty much says we’ve managed that situation correctly at that time.”

There was no sprinkler system at Parkcrest Elementary, but the school board has been told it would not have saved the entire building.

“According to the incident report, even if we had retrofitted that school with a sprinkler system, we might have been able to save 20 per cent of the building, which would have probably been a knock-down in any event,” said school trustee John O’Fee.

“I believe that came from one of our inspectors and I can’t comment on exactly how they came to land on 20 per cent,” Adams said, “but I will say that any sprinkler in any structure, whether it be in a residential home or in this case a school is a positive step.”