Rain sparks electrical fire at Jefferson High School

UPDATE: Rain may have started and ended a fire early this afternoon at Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids.

Firefighters responded around 12:40 p.m. to the school when a smoky smell was reported. Crews quickly located the problem.

Fire Capt. Craig Dirks said the fire started inside a second-floor closet containing computer equipment and large batteries.

“We think it started from a leak, water leaking onto the computer equipment,” Dirks said.

The fire caused a fair amount of smoke, but Dirks said it is believed the leak also extinguished the fire. He said there was no structural damage to the building.

Principal Chuck McDonnell said the leaking water caused batteries powering the equipment to start smoking. About 150 students in the technology wing of the school were moved out of the area when smoke alarms inside the closet activated, he said.

McDonnell said the situation was under control quickly, and rather than evacuate the students from that wing outside into the rain, the decision was made to send them to the auditorium until the 2 p.m. dismissal. Doors and windows were opened to ventilate the area.

The incident caused a bad smell in the area, but McDonnell said students would probably be allowed into the area by Thursday.

“We've got to get the roof leak fixed and get the power back on, because it controls the computers in that part of the world,” McDonnell said.