Wood Technology hit by late-night fire

A small fire broke out at the Wood Technology Department area in room G 150 just before midnight on Feb. 26.

The fire began in a sawdust waste bin, and was noticed by Laney custodial staff and campus security guard Jerold Bacon when they heard the alarms and smelled the smoke.

“It was really more of campfire than anything,” Myron Franklin, chair of the Wood Technology Department, said.

By the time the fire department arrived, sprinklers in the lab had already extinguished the flames.

No one was hurt in the fire, and damage appears to be minimal.

The wood technology lab was closed on Feb. 27, and morning classes were cancelled. The department computer lab is still open, and classes will resume Feb. 28.

According to Franklin, students and staff will be able to return to the wood technology lab in the next day or so following infrastructure tests to the electrical work and dust collectors to determine if there is any further damage.

Costs associated with the damage are still to be determined, but appear to be minimal, and there is no obvious equipment damage due to the fire or water from the sprinklers, Franklin said.

A report on the incident is expected from the Oakland fire department and campus Loss Prevention within a few days.

Even though the fire caused little damage three fire engines responded to the 2-alarm fire. The fire was first noticed at 11:44 p.m. The crews worked to shut off water to the section as the fire had been extinguished and knowledgeable grounds staff didn’t arrive until 1 a.m. according to American security guard Jerold Bacon.