B.G. library evacuated because of smoke

BATTLE GROUND — The Battle Ground Community Library was evacuated for about 90 minutes today after someone started a fire in a restroom.

About 25 patrons, in addition to members of the library staff, were evacuated at 10:55 a.m. because of smoke in the building. At 12:30 p.m., people were allowed to re-enter the library, 1207 S.E. Eighth Way.

Sue Vanlaanen, spokeswoman for the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District, said a library visitor reported the blaze in the men’s room and a staff member put it out with a fire extinguisher.

Then library employees set off the fire alarm and escorted people out of the building.

“They did an excellent job,” said Tim Dawdy, Clark County Fire & Rescue battalion chief.

Several books were used to start the fire, Vanlaanen said.

When fire personnel arrived, they ventilated the building to get the smoke out, Dawdy said.

The library, which opened in May 2009, is built to the highest standard and is outfitted with sprinklers, Dawdy said.

The primary clean-up task, Dawdy added, is vacuuming up the powder that was used in the fire extinguisher.

“It gets into everything,” Dawdy said.

The men’s bathroom was to remain locked until investigators finished examining the examining the site of the fire.