Update 2: The three students taken to Inova Fairfax Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries have been released.

Update 1: The fire appears to be an accident related to a school activity, Fairfax Fire Chief Richard Bowers said during a noon press conference.

“From a police perspective, there is no evidence of criminal activity. It appears to be a chemical fire accident in nature,” added Fairfax Coutny Police Chief Edwin Roessler.

Bowers could not confirm reports that the blaze began during a demonstration of how fire can change colors. “To the best of my knowledge, they were in a classroom activity,” was all he would say.

Hazmat units are on the scene to “help with mitigation,” and fire officials expect that they will be there for several hours.

“They are doing very well thanks to the quick response,” Bowers said, adding that the school did a “magnificent job” in responding to the incident. “With the great practice of fire drills and the execution of it, all the students were safely evacuated into the area that they are designate for.”

Officials declined to identify the students, but said they were likely sophomores or juniors. They have not made a decision about whether to cancel tonight’s football game or not.

Original:

Two students have been flown to the burn center at Washington Hospital Center and another three were taken to a hospital by ambulance after a fire broke out at a chemistry classroom at Fairfax’s W.T. Woodson High School.

A science teacher was also injured by not taken to the hospital.

The school was evacuated, and students are slated to be dismissed at 12:55 p.m. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

School officials said all the injured students were awake and conscious.

Filed Under: chemistry, fire, woodson high school,