Lessons from the India school fire.

The tragic fire that killed more than 90 school children in India this summer spread disastrously quick because of the school's thatched roof. Could a similar incident happen here at home?

Tom Kube, executive director of Council for Educational Facility Planners International, says the conditions under which our schools are constructed today--with nonflammable materials, according to building codes--would make that type of tragedy highly unlikely. Most older schools have been renovated to minimize some of the potential for fires. And districts almost always have very strong evacuation plans in place.

Still, fires can and do break out in schools. Administrators can keep little fires from becoming life-threatening situations by ensuring adequate exits exist and:

* Having an evacuation plan in place. Practice, practice, practice with regular drills, Kube says.

* Enforcing the role of teacher as leader and guider during these drills, says Robert Solomon, assistant vice president, Building and Life Safety Codes for the National Fire Prevention Association.

* Making sure all fire alarms and sprinklers are operational. "A delay of 60 seconds could have a very negative impact," Solomon points out.

* Considering the number of students and room size. Be sure you don't have too many children crammed into classrooms at any one time, and that there's sufficient width for students to move through hallways, he says.

* Maintaining cooking equipment, Solomon advises. This includes making sure all grease ducts are cleaned regularly.

* Ensuring there are enough air exchanges in science labs to prevent explosions. Take precautions that any flammable wastes are properly disposed of, both for safety and environmental reasons, Kube recommends.

* Keeping an eye out. More than half of U.S. school fires are intentionally set after school as a prank or vendetta, says Solomon. Consider installing surveillance cameras.