Smoke at Kelso High School triggers fire call after school

Authorities say smoke from a failed backup battery system for Kelso High School computers prompted fire crews to respond on Monday, after classes were dismissed.

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The school's Uninterruptible Power Supply, or UPS, began smoking after its battery failed, triggering the fire alarm at about 3:15 p.m., said Kelso spokesperson Michele Nerland.

Triggering the smoke alarm automatically contacts Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue.

Longview Fire reported it also helped during this call, while Cowlitz 2 helped them with a two-vehicle crash near Longview's Mint Farm industrial park at the same time.

Nerland said the UPS system has been removed, and the issue didn't damage equipment.

The only issue was a short disruption to the district's internet services.

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