A Morning Alarm: How a Finicky Heater Sent Aloha High Outdoors

It was just another Tuesday morning, or so it seemed, at Aloha High School. Students and staff were settling into the routine, perhaps grabbing a last-minute coffee or preparing for that first bell. But then, an unexpected alarm cut through the calm, shattering the usual morning rhythm.

Around 8:45 a.m., reports started filtering in — a possible gas leak. Now, in truth, few things can send a shiver down your spine quite like the mention of “gas leak” in a building full of people, especially teenagers. Naturally, the immediate response was swift and decisive: everyone out. The school, located at 18500 SW Kinnaman Rd in Aloha, initiated an evacuation, guiding students and staff safely to the football field, a testament, you could say, to well-practiced emergency protocols.

And so, fire crews from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue rushed to the scene. Not alone, mind you; NW Natural, the local gas utility, arrived promptly, alongside a HazMat team, ready for what could have been a serious situation. Their presence underscored the initial gravity of the situation, the collective understanding that safety simply couldn't wait.

For about an hour, students, faculty, and emergency personnel remained vigilant. Imagine the chatter, the questions, the quiet concern among the crowd on the field. Was it real? How bad? Yet, as is often the case with these things, the full picture began to emerge. Investigators, diligently sweeping the school, eventually discovered the true culprit. It wasn't a gas leak at all, thankfully, but a heating unit — yes, a finicky heating unit — causing the initial alarm. A relief, honestly, for everyone involved.

By approximately 9:45 a.m., with the “all clear” officially given, the school was deemed safe. Students began making their way back into the building, ready to resume their day, perhaps with a newfound appreciation for their routine. The Beaverton School District, ever proactive, ensured parents were kept in the loop, providing updates on the situation. And just like that, the brief morning scare faded, leaving behind a story of quick action and a slightly dramatic start to a regular school day.