Some quick thinking by custodial staff at the St. Stephen Middle School.
St. Stephen Fire Chief Sean Morton tells us they got a call around 4:40pm, on Wednesday, December 5th, after staff working inside the building first smelled smoke, and then discovered a fire on the roof of the school, inside the air handling unit.
St. Stephen Middle School is closed today after a fire on the roof Wednesday afternoon. No students were inside at the time of the fire. pic.twitter.com/adMwOWoBp5
— @981News (@981news) December 6, 2018
Chief Morton says they didn’t need to use a lot of water to extinguish the fire, but some water did make it through the first and second floors of the building.
He says, however, there is a lot of smoke damage throughout most of the school.
Clean up crews on site at SSMS today after a fire on the roof last night. Minimal water damage, smoke damage throughout most of the building. pic.twitter.com/RspgajQ1kz
— @981News (@981news) December 6, 2018
St. Stephen Fire, Calais Fire, and West District RCMP were on site for about two hours and Marks Street was closed to traffic.
Clean-up is continuing at the school this week, it’s not known when students will return.
A statement from SSMS Principal Bronwyn Tanner is expected later today.