Faulty air ventilation motor to blame for evacuation of Chase Middle School

Students and staff at Chase Middle School were forced to evacuate Wednesday morning after smoke poured out from the school’s ventilation system.

Brian Coddington, spokesman for Spokane Public Schools, said students and staff noticed the odor of smoke at about 10:30 a.m, and pulled the fire alarm. The entire school evacuated and huddled outside while the Spokane Fire Department cleared the building.

Within a matter of minutes, the source was determined to be a faulty motor in the air handling system, Coddington said. The motor was removed, the smoke cleared, and students were let back in to the school’s gym within an hour. By noon, they had returned to their classrooms.

“There is a little bit of smoke accumulated in the library,” Coddington said. “That will be closed for the rest of the day.”