October 5, 2007

‘Like deafening thunder’

Explosion rocks Silver Creek High School

By Bill Highlander
Editor

The loud blast on the campus of Silver Creek High School frightened the students and faculty at first, but trained teachers quickly calmed the situation and evacuated all students safely.

Photo courtesy SCHS

At 1:08 pm., Wednesday, Sept. 26, the main power system exploded, creating heavy black smoke above the campus. “It was a loud explosion,” said Mrs. Thelma Boac, principal of the school, and “quite surprising.”

“We train several times for emergency procedures and the system worked,” she said. “All teachers are trained and the students responded to instructions.” No injuries were reported.

Some students reported sounds like deafening thunder, buildings shaking, and lights flickering. The black smoke was visible from the nearby Safeway store.

The students were quickly evacuated to the football field and shortly left for home without books and personal items. There were reports that some of the freshmen swimmers went home without shoes and shirts. Students were allowed to come to school the following day to get personal effects, but school was closed Sept. 27 and 28 for investigation of the explosion.

“There was complete failure of the power equipment,” Boac said, disrupting all lighting and computer systems. Temporary fixes have been made so the school can operate. Permanent repairs will be made over the next six weeks. An investigation of the cause is underway.

School resumed on Monday, Oct. 1. Principal Boac said the students at Silver Creek are “great” and that she is thankful no one was hurt.