The fire alarm blares and students flood from their advisories, filing out of the building into the crisp January air. Teachers along with Principal Kurt Ogren begin speculating the cause of such a drill. Fire trucks arrive at Woodland Regional High School and begin searching for the cause of the alarm.

Woodland was evacuated on Wednesday, January 6th due a fire alarm caused by a problem in the pump house.

Following an investigation by the Beacon Falls volunteer firemen, they were able to conclude that a sprinkler had burst due to defective equipment.

“The first time someone went down to the pump house, they saw water was pouring out of the eaves in the building,” said Ogren.

This flow of water damaged electrical pieces called drives. This system powered down in order to prevent a fire from starting. Because of this, the flow of water up to the school building was stopped. School remained in session for the remainder of Wednesday since the incident occurred so close to the end of the school day. The amount of water pressure decreased as the school day came to a close.

“Everyone was really cooperative,” said Ogren. “Kids did go to the bathroom but only if they really needed to.”

A part had to be ordered and repairs could not be made until Friday, January 8th, forcing Woodland to remain closed both January 7th and 8th.

The incidence had no relation with the cold temperatures which caused the pipes in the attic to freeze and burst on February 23 of 2015. The temperature of the pump house was 54 degrees the day the sprinkler burst.

“Fortunately, for us, we have to look at it as two snow days without snow,” said Ogren.

Due to this closing, the end of the marking period and exams have been pushed back which will also extend the date of graduation to June 14, 2016.