OHS Evacuated After Smoke Detected
The high school which is the site for many back-to-school activities this week was temporarily evacuated Wednesday evening.
Osbourn High School was evacuated Wednesday shortly before 5:30 p.m. due to smoke coming from the band room.
Fire officials with the City of Manassas conducted a check of the building and determined there was no fire, but the smoke was caused by a faulty water source heat pump connected to the school's HVAC system.
In a press release issued by Manassas City Public Schools (MCPS), it was noted that the faulty unit represents one of over 100 in the building that were installed in 1999.
It is not uncommon for mechanical systems that are over 10 years old to experience issues with components such as compressors, motors and electrical devices, the release said.
Fire officials deemed the building safe for re-entry to allow students to retrieve their belongings following the evacuation and inspection.
Additional information is expected sometime Thursday from MCPS. Questions regarding band activities may be directed to Bill Stevens at bstevens@manassas.k12.va.us.
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