How do you feel when the fire alarm rings? Most of the time, students view fire drills as a relief, or a way to get out of class. However, on Nov. 18, the flashing lights and noise from the fire alarm proved more serious.

During first period that day, the fire alarm went off, forcing students and staff to hurriedly evacuate the building. Only this time, the alarm signaled a real fire, not a drill. The circuit breaker in an outdated electrical panel in the school’s storage room sparked, causing some wires to catch fire and burn. Smoke from the burnt wires moved out of the storage room, triggering the fire alarm, and stinking up the hallways and classrooms with an unpleasant smell.

So when students returned upstairs, they had to deal with a smokey aroma which staff member Roxanne Guzman described as being similar to “burnt rubber.’’

The fire also disrupted several classrooms for a couple of days. Because Rooms 432, 436 and 438 used the same circuit breaker, students in those classes had to relocate to the library downstairs and other rooms while the electricians made repairs.

Although the fire may have caused a small disturbance to the school day, it proved beneficial for the affected rooms. Before the fire, the rooms often experienced power outages, Principal Gregory Fucheck said. But now that the old circuit breakers have been updated, the teachers can now turn on Smartboards, computers and other electronics without losing power.