ST. PAUL – On May 21 at around 7:40 p.m., the St. Paul Fire Department responded to a report of fire at the St. Paul Regional High School.
Upon arrival, the first responding unit reported significant smoke from the south-west corner of the school, said Fire Chief Trevor Kotowich. Additional units were called to the scene, including an aerial fire truck, "believing that we had a working fire," he explained.
Kotowich said the fire department suspects the smoke originated from an external power surge. The surge likely caused an electric motor in one of the school's make-up air units to short circuit, "which in turn heated up and eventually burned itself out," he said.
Coordinated efforts between the fire department and the school's maintenance staff cleared the smoke with large fans at the south wing of the school.
There were no reports of injuries, and the extent of the damage was limited to the failed motor unit. The school resumed normal operations the following day.
