School to remain closed for now
Fire, smoke took toll on Bear Creek High
By Berny Morson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published April 23, 2008 at 12:19 p.m.
Updated April 23, 2008 at 11:43 p.m.
Jefferson County's Bear Creek High School will be closed at least through Monday as crews clean up after a fire that gutted a gymnasium and left extensive smoke damage, the principal said Wednesday.
Investigators for the West Metro Fire Protection District now suspect that the blaze Tuesday was caused by arson. They are interviewing students and faculty members, said Cindy Matthews, the agency's community outreach director.
Tips should be phoned in at 303 539-9523.
Investigators are not sure what chemicals were used or if the fire was the work of a lone arsonist or a group, Matthews said.
The fire damaged a small gym used for wrestling and gymnastics.
Mats and other equipment caught fire.
The flames were hot enough to damage a steel support beam. That problem will have to be addressed before the room can be used, Matthews said.
Principal Phyllis Emrich said the district has not yet decided where Bear Creek's 1,865 students will attend school if the closure extends beyond Monday.
The Bear Creek students took the ACT college entrance exam Wednesday at Green Mountain High School.
Air-quality was being tested Wednesday, Emrich said. Students were not being let in to collect to their belongings.
Emrich said the district must now decide how much to spend on repairing the fire damage since the school will be replaced by a new building that opens in April, 2009.
A fire last year in a ceramics room caused $1.2 million in damage. That blaze was not blamed on arson, Matthews said.
The cost of the latest fire has not been estimated, Emrich said.
morsonb@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5209
Featured
-
Legislature Blog
Read live updates from the opening of the 2009 legislative session.
-
Rocky multimedia
The news comes alive in our videos and slide shows. Catch up on what's happening today.
-
Who's next?
Complete coverage of the Broncos' search for a new coach.
-
Rocky year in photos
View an audio slide show of staff selections from 2008.
-
Winter Escapes
Your insider’s guide to the copious joys of the coolest season.
-
Sam Adams' Open Mic
Open Mic: Two-man advantage with Avs
-
Shanahan's career
See photos from Mike Shanahan's career as Broncos coach.
-
12 days of Drew
Look back at the year that has been with Drew Litton.
-
A dream fulfilled
A Rocky Mountain News and MediaStorm production




Post your comment
Registration is required. Click here to create your free user account, or login below.
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.