Staff and students were forced to leave the school building today when an experiment in the science lab set off the fire alarm.

"Apparently Dr Pratt set up an experiment too close to the smoke detectors in the science lab," said school principal Dr Benedikz. "I suppose the good thing is that it shows they work.

Vice-principal Mr Spires, who oversaw the evacuation of students and staff from the building, megaphone at the ready, was pleased everyone got out without any fuss. However, he felt it took too long to get everyone assembled.

"Last year we managed to evacuate the building in four minutes. It took nine today," Mr Spires told the assembled students. "So you can expect another drill sometime in the next three weeks."