On October 3 at around 5:30 p.m., Irvington High School had an electrical switch overheat, leading to a power shutdown to prevent further damage. Superintendent Burmeister and Principal Hicks confirmed the incident via an email sent to Irvington’s parents, students, and faculty at 6:34 p.m. All afterschool activities on campus, notably including a girls volleyball game and football practice, were shut down as admin evacuated students from the premises. Irvington is Fremont Unified’s only high school impacted and will remain closed on October 4, as district staff and outside contractors continue to work on this issue through the weekend.
Around 7:00 p.m., PulsePoint, the Fremont Fire Response App, reported that several fire trucks were en route and on the scene at Irvington High, but were seen leaving at 7:30. Most hallway lighting at that point was on. Some areas of the school have been taped off as well.
While there were several reports of overheating classrooms during school hours today, all HVAC systems were reportedly online and functioning. The transformer, located in the center of Irvington’s campus, was not able to handle all HVAC systems running simultaneously, which caused the issue today.
Several varsity girls volleyball players recalled the moment they heard the evacuation orders.
“We were in the middle of the game when Mr. Hicks announced over the intercom that students should evacuate campus,” recounted Elisa Dalla Ricca (12). “Later, he came into the gym and talked to the referees and coaches, and everyone had to go home really fast. This all happened in the span of ten to fifteen minutes.”
“Because of how worried the principal was, we assumed the worst,” added Alaina Schuman (12).
No students or unauthorized staff will be allowed on campus on October 4, but school administration and the district expect classes to resume on Monday, October 7. Temporary generators will be used to restore functionality as district staff work to resolve the issue.
California state law requires students to attend school for a minimum of 180 instructional days. It is still unclear how Irvington students and staff will be affected by this, and whether an additional day will be added to the school year.
This is a developing story, and may change as more information becomes available.
