Students noticed something off on September 21, when they entered school with the fire department parked outside. Many assumed the city fire department was there for the fire drill scheduled for later that day. As students entered the building, the sirens were soon explained by the campfire-like smell in the hallways. A fire occurred in the Winchester Thurston high school in the science wing on September 21. Overnight in the chemistry lab, a water distiller was kept running, and resulted in a small fire. This fire caused significant damage to a storage cabinet, but left the rest of the lab rather untouched, as most of the damage resulted from the residue from the smoke or the flooding from the sprinklers. A few of the other cabinets were covered in a black residue from the fire, and there was some soot on the ground. Mr. Marx explained that this incident was caused by an equipment malfunction, and it is assumed that the automatic off-switch of the water distiller must not have turned off after all of the water had evaporated. He also clarified that the fire was not a fault of any person, or teacher, and that these kinds of things happen in science. This incident was just a result of bad luck and an equipment malfunction. 

The main takeaway is that a much larger fire was prevented because of the sprinkler system in the school. If the sprinklers had not turned on, there is a strong chance that the whole science wing, if not the whole half of that side of the school, would have been burnt. And even though the Willis Room was closed for damage from the flooding, to the detriment of the Willis Room Ping Pong Squad, that damage is preferred over the entire school being closed and classes resorting to being held online. The irony in the situation is that the equipment that caused the fire’s main use is the production of distilled water. Who knew that making water could cause a fire?