What started out as an ordinary third period class for science teacher Jennie Jackson soon took a dramatic turn January 13. 

For the second time this school year, a Venice classroom ceiling light started smoking, although this time, it led to a school-wide evacuation onto the football field.
“There was a weird, industrial smell,” Jackson said, recounting the incident that took place in her classroom, Room 247, in the Far West building. But when that smell turned out to be a fire sparking from a ceiling light, Jackson immediately evacuated her classroom, and the rest of the school soon followed. 

This was not the first time a faulty light fixture had led to a fire at Venice this school year. 

A ceiling light in Keli Arslancan’s classroom in Cunningham caught fire December 3. Several teachers were meeting in the classroom before the start of school when–according to Arslancan– social studies teacher Taylor Vivanco noticed the fire. 

“He said to turn off the lights, and then we saw it glowing,” Arslancan said. “Then it started to get smoky.” 

Vivanco also added that he remembered, “one of the fluorescent lights was flickering,” 

“I noticed there was smoke coming out of the side of it,” he said. “I grabbed the fire extinguisher and sprayed it a few times.”

Vivanco later found out that he was fortunate that there was a fire extinguisher in the classroom.

“I assumed that every classroom had one,” Vivanco said. “But then I talked to another teacher who doesn’t have one. That’s when I realized there’s only two fire extinguishers in this hall.”

Assistant Principal Mistie Barela said that although not every classroom is equipped with a fire extinguisher, the school adheres to the mandatory amount of distance between each fire extinguisher. 

“Based on the Fire Department Education Code, it’s not required for every classroom to have a fire extinguisher, but it is required within so many feet,” Barela said. “We meet the fire code requirements.”

Teachers credited the school’s rapid response to the incidents, yet safety concerns linger for Vivanco. 

“I think the fact that the fluorescent lights are catching on fire, that’s pretty concerning to me,” he said. “I think that’s concerning to quite a few teachers, especially since it happened twice this year.”

After both incidents, the school asked the L.A. Fire Department to inspect the buildings in question, and the rooms were also immediately examined by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (O.E.H.S.)representatives as well as L.A.U.S.D. technicians.

“The district is aware of both incidents, and they’re looking at what the next steps for improving the buildings might be,” said Barela.