Fire and school officials say five students are hurt, including two with potentially life-threatening injuries, after a fire broke out in a chemistry classroom at a northern Virginia high school.
Advertisement
“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the injured students and their families”, Poole wrote.
Two students with serious, but not life-threatening injuries were immediately transported by helicopter to the MedStar Washington Hospital burn center in Washington, D.C., while the other three students injured by exposure to fire products were taken to a nearby hospital. About half the classroom was damaged by fire, smoke and water, he said, and damage was estimated at $7,500. About half the classroom was damaged by fire, smoke and water, he said.
“To the best of my knowledge, they were in a classroom activity”, Fairfax County Police Chief Edwin Roessler said. He said they were taken to burn units because of the extent of their injuries and because burns can be susceptible to infection. Officials said a sprinkler system in the room “tamped down” the fire and firefighters were able to finish putting out the blaze.
The school was evacuated, and students are slated to be dismissed at 12:55 p.m. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Torre didn’t know what grade the injured students are in.
Advertisement
Stay with NBCWashington.com and News4 for more on this developing story.
