Small Fire Causes Evacuation at Continental Colony Elementary, No Injuries Reported

Just after 8 a.m. on Wednesday, smoke was reported coming from Continental Colony Elementary School, located near Hogan Road in SW Atlanta.  The school was immediately evacuated and hundreds of students and staff were forced outside the school for safety.

The rehearsed fire drill plans at the school went into affect as planned and no injuries were reported.

WSB is reporting that, "APS said it appears that toilet paper was set on fire, which triggered the sprinkler system." They even have a number of photos showing the orderly evacuation.

APS Schools used Twitter to tell parents that everyone was safe and to inform them that more info was going to come to them directly:

Parents: We will update you regarding Continental Colony ES as we receive details. Please ck your email & phone messages for more news. #aps

In another Tweet to parents, APS says, "Cont. Colony students will be housed in the gym & auditorium for remainder of day. CRCT rescheduled. Lunch will be provided." 

Notice that today was a day scheduled for CRCT testing, and that it will have to be rescheduled. It is definitely too early to speculate a motive for setting the fire, if it indeed was caused by a person, but we may find out in the future that CRCT testing could have something to do with the fire.

Atlanta Fire Battalion Chief Douglas Hatcher said to the AJC, that there was a “little bit of water damage in the back of the bathroom itself. Other than that, there are no injuries and no other damage.” 

Hatcher went on to tell the AJC, that the burning toilet paper was “inside a plastic holder, and the plastics burn at a very high rate, and all the heat rises to the top of the ceiling and that’s what you want from the sprinklers is to set if off immediately and put [the fire] out so it doesn’t spread.”

APS letter to Continental Colony Parents and Cascade Patch Readers:

Parents,

This email is to advise you that Continental Colony was evacuated this morning due to a small fire causing smoke within the building.  No injuries are reported.  The incident was contained to one bathroom and the fire department, police department and Atlanta Public Schools detectives are on the scene. 

Due to water damage from the sprinkler system, in a small portion of the school, students will be housed in the gym and auditorium for the remainder of the day.  CRCT testing will not take place today and will be rescheduled.  Lunch will be provided for all students.  Again, all students are safe, however if you would like to pick up your child, please do so in the school cafeteria.

We will provide additional information as we receive updates.

Thank you,

Stephen J. Alford