Fire at Lakota school remains under investigation, students will learn remotely

WEST CHESTER TWP. — After a Labor Day fire at Hopewell Junior School in the Lakota Local Schools District, students will not be returning to classrooms for the remainder of the week.

The fire was reported Monday morning, and multiple fire departments responded. When the first crews arrived on scene there was smoke showing from the roof, said West Chester Fire Department Assistant Chief David Pickering.

The fire was in the back of the school near the boys locker room and woodshop, he said. No one was in the school during the fire.

“It’s a good thing kids were not in school; however, tomorrow is a school day so they’re going to need to get in an assess the damage and see where we can go as far as whether or not the school is going to be able to open tomorrow for normal operations,” Pickering said.

Firefighters battled the fire from inside the school and the roof.

“The fire did affect the roof and we did have to cut a significant portion of the roof,” Pickering said.

A fire investigator will examine the damage to determine where the fire started and what caused it.

Schools throughout the region were closed for the Labor Day holiday.

In a post on the school district’s main website, Hopewell declared Tuesday a calamity day so educators could prepare for remote learning for the students, which will occur Wednesday through Friday.