Johnston's Summit Middle School Hopes to Return To Normal After Explosion, Fire, Evacuation

Hundreds of sixth and seventh grade students, along with staff, are hoping for a "return to normalcy" after being evacuated Tuesday because of an explosion and small fire in a construction area of Tuesday morning.

Just two days after returning from spring break, students were likely trying to get back into the swing of things when the expolsion on the east side of the building occured.

Classes and construction are scheduled to continue today.

The explosion and fire never put students in danger, said Johnston Fire Captain Tim Nemmers, but two workers were injured. Their conditions are unknown. Students and staff were evacuated as a precaution.

At approximately 9:06 a.m. Tuesday, the was dispatched to the school, located at 9500 Windsor Parkway.

The explosion was a result of construction taking place on an addition of the east end of the building, Nemmers said.

Crews were stuffing insulation between cinder blocks and decorative bricks connecting the new addition to the current building.

The six-inch void between sides collected fumes from the adhesive being used.

At the same time crew members were working on the roof with a grinder, Nemmers said.

The sparks from the grinder fell between the walls, igniting the adhesive fumes and causing two holes approximately two by three feet to blow out about 12 to 15 feet above the floor.

"Two workers were injured; that activated the fire alarm system," Nemmers said. "So the occupied part of the school was evacuated outside."

The construction crews removed the injured workers and began to put out the fire with fire extinguishers and garden hoses.

It took crews approximately 30 minutes to bring the incident under control.

"By 45 minutes half the personnel were able to leave the scene and it was declared under control; we were able to let the school reconvene normal classes," Nemmers said.

About an hour and half after the first call, construction crews were able to resume work.

Fifty personnel from Grimes Fire Department, Saylor Fire Department, Windsor Heights Fire Department, Polk City Fire Department, Ankeny Fire Department, Urbandale Fire, Windsor Heights Fire, Polk County Emergency Management, Polk County Sheriff's Department, Frazier Ambulance Services and Johnston Fire and Police Departments, responded to the call.

"It was well coordinated between the principal, Dr. (Jim) Casey (associate superintendent, the superintendent of maintenance (Tim Kline)," Nemmers said. "It was a good coordinated effort between the district, superintendent of the job site, police and fire."