Blaze closes high school
No injuries, but Bear Creek gym heavily damaged
John C. Ensslin
Published April 22, 2008 at 11 p.m.
Bear Creek High School students will have to take their ACT exams elsewhere, and their school will remained closed today after a fire caused extensive damage to a small gymnasium.
No one was injured in the two-alarm blaze, which broke out at 11:52 a.m. and resulted in the quick evacuation of 1,850 students.
One female student with asthma was taken to a hospital after suffering an anxiety attack, school officials said. The other students were sent home for the rest of the day.
"Distraught" is how principal Phyllis Emrich described her reaction to the fire.
"Maybe that's too strong a word," she added, looking to the west where a $31.2 million Bear Creek High School is under construction.
"I think the entire student body and staff is just waiting to get into the new building," she said.
The new school, approved by Jefferson County School district voters in 2004, is scheduled to open in April 2009.
The cause of Tuesday's fire remains under investigation, said Michelle French, a spokeswoman for West Metro.
"When our crews arrived on scene, they did find heavy smoke and flames in the small gym," French said. "Because of the size of the building and the fact that it is a school, we called a second alarm."
Kirk Jackson, the school's facilities manager, said he could feel the heat when the school's assistant principal cracked open the door to the gym just long enough to see the smoke billowing inside.
"He left his keys in the door. I told everybody, it's a real fire, let's get out."
Students with cars were allowed to drive home. School officials sent an automated e-mail and phone call advising parents that they could pick up their children. Other students rode buses home.
Classes today have been cancelled. Juniors who were scheduled to take the state-mandated ACT test will take them at Green Mountain High School.
Staff writer Bill Scanlon contributed to this report
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April 23, 2008
3:37 p.m.
Suggest removal
kathyM writes:
What some kids won't do to get out of a test...:)