At approximately 3:15 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2014, the humanities building was evacuated after the fire alarm was set off. As students filed out of the building in an orderly fashion, most seemed to be relieved to have a little break from their class. Others seemed to find the situation as a nuisance. By the look on their faces, this sentiment was shared by the professors as they too evacuated the building.
Students evacuate from the humanities building after fire alarm goes off.
According to the Dean of Language Arts, Eldon Young, “The fire alarm was probably set off by an e-cigarette”, which to most seems impossible. Even though e-cigarettes provide a similar feeling of inhaling tobacco smoke, there is no combustion meaning there is no smoke.
This raises the question, if there is no smoke how is it that e-cigarettes are setting off the school fire alarms? Young stated, “this is the second time this semester the fire alarm has been set off due to the same thing”. At approximately 3:25 p.m. the building was cleared and students and professors were allowed to reenter the building.
Student smokes cigarette while he waits to go back to class.
Lately, more and more students are beginning to use e-cigarettes and vape pens. If this problem keeps reoccurring, is it possible that the devices might be banned from campus?
The Cypress Chronicle will keep updating this story as more information comes in about e-cigarettes and their functions. Is the problem in this situation the alarms themselves or something else entirely aside from e-cigarettes?
