Students and staff evacuated the building at approximately 9:10 a.m. Thursday, May 30, due to a burst sprinkler near the front of the main gym which set off the school fire alarm.  

After the fire alarm went off and students and staff spent a 15-minute break on the track and in the front parking lot, they were released back to second period. Second period was extended by a few minutes while principal Billie-Jean Bensen explained over the PA system that the entrance in front of the main gym and part of the art wing were blocked off due to flooding.

MCPS plumbers came to the building to fix the sprinklers and building service workers removed the water from the halls, Bensen said. Students were released to third period, and advised to avoid the wet areas.

The flashing fire lights would not turn off until the plumbing issue was fixed, Bensen said. Students and staff walked through the halls to third period with the flashing which continued until half way through third period when an announcement was made that the sprinkler was fixed and that the fire alarm system was going to be reset.