Fire damages high school in Montgomery, Alabama

Park Crossing High School will be closed to in-person instruction while officials assess the damage on the campus.

In-person classes have been canceled for the rest of the week after a fire damaged Park Crossing High School in Montgomery, Alabama.

The Montgomery Advertiser reports that the fire broke out at about 10 p.m. Monday.

Firefighters responded and found the roof of the high school ablaze, specifically the section above the southwest wing. They were able to contain and extinguish the fire from the outside, and then responders entered the building to ensure that people were not inside.

No injuries were reported.

The Montgomery school district is assessing the damage, and classes have been canceled on the campus while that takes place.

"As we respond to last night’s fire, we are meeting with Park Crossing staff now and will get an update on progress at the building later today," Montgomery School Superintendent Melvin Brown said. "We are planning for asynchronous learning for the rest of the week in hopes that we will be back in the building sooner."

The cause of the fire has not been determined, but school officials noted that around the time of the fire, thunderstorms made their way through the area, and lightning could have struck the school.

Park Crossing students are advised to check their email accounts for assignment instructions from teachers every day until the school building is able to reopen.

About the Author

Mike Kennedy

Senior Editor

Mike Kennedy has been writing about education for American School & University since 1999. He also has reported on schools and other topics for The Chicago Tribune, The Kansas City Star, The Kansas City Times and City News Bureau of Chicago. He is a graduate of Michigan State University.

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