An electrical fire in a chemistry lab at East Ridge High School forced the evacuation and early release of hundreds of high school students on Tuesday morning.

Despite the fire, East Ridge High will be open for school Wednesday. The school will operate on a regular schedule from 7:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.

Students at East Ridge High were safely evacuated about 11:30 a.m. to the nearby East Ridge Middle School gym after an electrical fire broke out in an upstairs chemistry lab.

Hamilton County Schools officials, acting on advice of the fire department, closed the school for the remainder of the day at noon due to the concentration of smoke in the building.

Students who ride a bus to and from school began going home on buses at about 12:20 p.m. Students who walk, ride in a car or drive to school will be held in the middle school gym until regular release time at 2:15 p.m. Parents who wish to pick up their high school students early can do so at the East Ridge Middle School gym.

East Ridge Middle School was unaffected by the incident.

East Ridge Fire and Police Chief Eddie Phillips said it was at approximately 11:30 a.m. when East Ridge Fire Rescue and Police units responded to a reported fire in the chemical lab at East Ridge High.

He said East Ridge Police School Resource Officer Charles Miller was on the scene in seconds after the alarm was sounded and radioed a report of heavy smoke in the chemical lab storage area. Officer Miller and school faculty began an evacuation of the building. The fire department shift commander arrived in one minute and reported a working fire.

The first fire engine arrived in just three minutes and crews began an aggressive interior attack to confine the fire to the lab area and make sure all students and faculty were out of the building. A second alarm was transmitted for additional manpower bringing a total of approximately 50 fire and rescue personnel on six engines, two ladders, two rescue trucks, two support units, one hazardous materials unit, and one rehabilitation unit to the scene.

Firefighters were able to confine the fire to the room of origin and save the school. However, there was heavy smoke throughout the second floor wing of the building and water in two classrooms, Chief Phillips said.

Firefighters used gas detectors and hazardous materials equipment to monitor both the air and water runoff due to the various chemicals involved in the fire. Fire officials determined that there was no contamination to either the air or water runoff and released the building back to school officials for clean up.

Chief Phillips said, "I am very proud of both the school faculty and our fire and police officers. Everyone did exactly as they were supposed to do and worked together to protect the students. The school safety plan worked as it was supposed to. The chemistry teacher that discovered the fire is a real hero. She didn’t panic but evacuated her students, closed the door behind them to confine the fire and sounded the alarm to evacuate the building.

"The school fire alarm system failed to activate when teachers first pulled a fire alarm box in the hallway. This did not delay evacuation of the school because teachers used portable radios and a schoolwide PA system to alert other classrooms. This was a very successful evacuation as firefighters arrived in just moments and all students were already out of the building. East Ridge Middle School next door was also evacuated as a precaution.

"Regarding the fire alarm system, officials determined that some fuses had been removed during installation of the new system preventing the alarm from sounding. This has been corrected and the fire alarm system has been tested and is working properly.

"Both chemistry lab classrooms adjoining the storage area where the fire occurred had portable fire extinguishers present. However, teachers did the right thing by not trying to fight this fire with its heavy smoke and chemicals involved but concentrated on closing the doors to the fire room and evacuating students.

"There were some initial reports of a possible electrical fire in the chemistry lab area. East Ridge Fire Investigators are still investigating the cause and origin of the fire and will update you later.

"I am very thankful to the mutual aid departments responding to assist in this incident. In addition to East Ridge Fire and Police, units responded from Ft. Oglethorpe, Rossville, Catoosa County, Red Bank, Hamilton County Rescue, Hamilton County Emergency Services, and Memorial Hospital EMS."