Stanley Humphries Secondary in Castlegar is closed today following a fire in a light fixture in the gym around 3 p.m. Thursday.
Principal Chantal St-Jacques says the fire department responded quickly and those staff and students still in the building got out safely.
However, as they follow up to ensure the safety of the building, school will be closed today. It would have been the last day before spring break.
St-Jacques says some students may have left things in lockers or classrooms that they need, and the district will arrange access to the school after assessing the site.
Fire chief Sam Lattanzio estimates the damage at $100,000 and says the cause is under investigation.
Fourteen firefighters responded and were on scene for about 2½ hours. They didn’t have much time to rest, however, before being called out to a house fire on Columbia Avenue.