March 17, 2006 -- Two false fire alarms this morning at South Lyon High School gave students and staff a brief scare, after a fire closed the school Thursday. It was quickly discovered the cause of the alarms were mechanical failures.
A faulty valve in the school's mechanical room triggered a sensor and set off the school's first fire alarm, said Melissa Meister, an assistant school superintendent. The first alarm sounded at 8:40 a.m. and the second was set off an hour later. More false alarms may trigger today as maintenance personnel work to balance pressure in the school's fire sprinker system.
Students returned to the high school this morning, after someone set fire to a seat in the school auditorium Thursday.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Department is offering up to $5,000 for clues to who set an auditorium seat on fire. Six seats in the balcony were burned spreading smoke damage throughout the auditorium. A sprinkler system extinguished the fire, causing water damage as well. A separate reward had been offered Thursday by the South Lyon Community Schools district, but was withdrawn today in order to coordinate with reward offered by the sheriff's department, Meister said.
“It’s absolutely heartbreaking,” Meister said. “I’m just so disappointed for the students and the community.”
Det. Brian Salenick of the Oakland County Arson Investigation division said accidental causes for the fire are ruled out.
South Lyon Fire Department Chief Craig Kaska said alarms sounded at 7:15 a.m., and firefighters discovered three rows of theater seats burning in the upstairs section of the auditorium. School was closed by 8 a.m., and buses were brought in to take students home.
No injuries were reported.
Water also flowed into nearby classrooms and a choir room, but was cleaned up by late Thursday. Meister said clean up alone for the auditorium will take about 30 days and cost thousands of dollars. About 150 seats are being removed from the balcony to be cleaned or refurbished.
This is the first such incident in the school’s history, said Larry Jackson, who has been the school’s principal since it was built 16 years ago.
“It’s terrible, because it jeopardized the lives of students and staff in this school,” Jackson said.
This Sunday’s South Lyon Area Taste & Expo will still be held in the school’s commons area from noon to 4 p.m. And Meister said she’s hopeful the auditorium will be ready for the school’s play, “Bye-Bye Birdie,” which will open the last weekend in April.
South Lyon Police Chief Lloyd Collins said the Michigan Arson Prevention Committee is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the conviction of those responsible. The reward would be provided through the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department. Information may be provided to the sheriff’s Lyon Township Substation at 248-437-5600.
The South Lyon Fire Department was assisted by the Green Oak Township and Lyon Township fire departments.
