Classes were evacuated in the pouring rain on Oct. 5, at Sequim High School, after students and staff smelled smoke in a classroom.

Clallam County Fire Department 3 responded to the call around 11:15 a.m. when a fire alarm was pulled in Steve Mahitka’s Agricultural Science classroom in a portable north of the greenhouse.

Mahitka said in an interview he turned on a heater earlier in the morning, and later a student began to smell smoke in his third period class, so he pulled the fire alarm.

Assistant Chief Tony Hudson said it appears the classroom heater was faulty and Sequim school district maintenance crews were assessing the issue.

Mahitka said his classes for the remainder of the day were moved to the greenhouse as smoke was fanned out.

No physical damage to the classroom was reported.

Fire officials report they previously reported to the school on Sept. 19 for a pellet smoker releasing excessive smoke, leading a teacher to sound a fire alarm.

Sequim School District maintenance workers assess a fire in a Sequim High School classroom on Oct. 5 after it began to smoke causing teacher Steve Mahitka to pull the fire alarm. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

A heater began to smoke in a portable classroom on Friday morning next to the greenhouse buildings. Fire officials report no damage was caused to the classroom. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Sequim High School students return to class and/or lunch on Friday morning after a heater malfunctioned leading the school to be evacuated. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash