A teacher and 16-year-old student suffered smoke inhalation this afternoon when a heating unit suspended caught fire inside a shop class at Lee-Davis High School in Mechanicsville.

The teacher and student, whose identifies were not released, were taken to Memorial Regional Hospital for minor injuries, said Hanover Battalion Chief Chris Slemp.

"It was some real minor smoke inhalation," Slemp said of the injuries. "It was more or less to be checked out than anything else."

Hanover fire crews were alerted at 12:35 p.m. after the teacher and student noticed flames coming from duct work near the heating unit. There are four of the units suspended from the ceiling in the classroom, Slemp said.

The teacher and student tried putting out the blaze with fire extinguishers before leaving the classroom. The entire school was evacuated.

"There was still some active fire" when the first fire crews arrived, and they quickly knocked down the remaining flames, Slemp said.

Damage, mostly from smoke, was contained to the shop area. Slemp estimated the loss at abouty $25,000.

Classes resumed about about 45 minutes to an hour, he said.

-- Mark Bowes