Fire at Middle School Damages Home Ec Room

Warren Superintendent of Schools Tami Crader said a fire in the home ec room at the middle school caused damage to the walls, ceiling and supplies.

The fire was started when a plastic chair placed on an electric stove, that had been left on, ignited when the electrical power was restored to the school. The school had been without power since Sunday, when Hurricane Irene knocked down trees and utility lines in the area.

"The fire was arrested by the quick thinking of Tyler Trivelhorn and the fire department," Dr. Crader said. Trivelhorn, the district's buildings and grounds department, identified the fire's location and cut power to enable the fire department to quickly contain the fire.

While the door to the room was closed, Dr. Crader said smoke filled the hallways.

She said the district's insurance provider will send a restoration company to the school to perfomr air quality checks for students' safety, in addition to repairing the damage to the building.

Also, school personnel will need to relocate classes for the students who had been scheduled for home ec classes in the room.

This story was updated to note a change in planning for the students. The story originally reported the classes would be canceled.