NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — An errant spark during welding caused a small, smoky fire in the metal fabrication shop at McCann Technical School on Friday afternoon. 

 

Firefighters were able to remove the stored air filters that caught fire and brought in fans to clear the shop area. 

 

No one was injured but students were evacuated as a precaution and remained outside until shortly before the buses came to pick them up.

 

The fire was reported shortly after 1:30 p.m. as smoke coming out of the building, including a confirmation from the City Yard across the street. 

 

Firefighters entered the shop through its exterior doors and checked the roof to see where the white smoke was coming from.

 

"Once we got on scene, we saw smoke coming the garage area and immediately start shutting off power to the area and investigating the cause," said Deputy Chief Robert Patenaude. 

 

The large filters are used in the shop to counteract fumes and are in a self-contained unit. These older ones were being stored in the strut ceiling above a storage area. 

 

"They have a new system that was installed last year. This was from last year so this has been stored since August," Patenaude said. "It appears while welding underneath, a spark from the welding got up into there and just slowly started to burn."

 

The smoke filled the shop and fans were brought in to clear the area. All of the filters were removed and watered down to ensure there were no further embers. 

 

Superintendent James Brosnan, Mayor Jennifer Macksey, Police Chief Jason and the Wire and Alarm Inspector Mitchell Meranti were also at the scene.