Photo provided by the Fortuna Police Department.

According to Fortuna Police Sgt. Charles Ellebrecht, a small kitchen fire in the home economics classroom caused the high school to be evacuated and northbound 12th Street to be closed. The lane, as of 4 p.m., is closed and will be until the fire department finishes their cleanup.

There was a small grease fire in one of the ovens, explained Fortuna School Superintendent Glen Sentraro. He said the teacher put the flames quickly with a fire extinguisher and evacuated all the students also. “She did a great job,” he added. Not only the students in that classroom but the entire student body had to be evacuated. Because the fire happened at the end of school, the students did not return to class but went straight to the buses and home.

Fortuna Police Sgt. Charles Ellebrecht explained that there was minimum damage to the building. He said, “[Damage] was contained to the immediate area of stove.”

The culinary classroom will be closed tomorrow but school will open as normal.