At about 10:55 a.m. Nov. 3, students and staff at Cy Creek evacuated the building following a fire in the boys’ restroom near room 1235.

According to a statement released to guardians, the flame was extinguished by a staff member before the fire department arrived. Classes resumed as soon as the area was ventilated entirely and the all-clear was given.

“[The students] are to be commended for following emergency procedures efficiently,” Principal Vicki Snokhous said in an email.

The cause of the fire itself remains unclear. If a fire were set intentionally, the act could be considered arson, a level five offense according to the CFISD Student Code of Conduct which states a student “shall be expelled” for committing such prohibited conduct.

Some students believe that the situation could have been avoided altogether.

Freshman Davy Heng points to the restrooms as the root of many problems at Creek, such as the fire.

“You could do a lot of stuff in the restroom without getting caught and there’s not that much security around the school,” Heng said.

There are various ways to prevent these incidents. Jennifer Box, the assistant principal in charge of school safety, is considering installing vape detectors. Heng prefers the idea of having more restroom monitors.

“Vaping is so much easier to do because it doesn’t set off a fire alarm, and it’s made it more accessible when nicotine is already highly addictive,” Box said.

Bystanders, according to officer Velarde, add to the problem.

“It’s just so common that no one bothers reporting it,” Velarde said. “It needs to be pushed back by the student body or else nothing will change.”

By Nov. 4, the boys’ restroom had been repaired.

“We remain committed to your student’s safety,” Snokhous said.