Oconto High School students will attend classes at Oconto Middle School temporarily, after a fire that started in the boys bathroom Wednesday morning caused extensive smoke damage at the high school. The cause of the fire is under investigation and is suspicious in nature, according to Superintendent Sara Croney.
Students were evacuated to the middle school on Wednesday morning after safely evacuating the school, then were sent home. School was canceled for Thursday, and Friday was a scheduled day off for Easter break.
About 300 students are enrolled at the school, located at 1717 Superior Ave.
Classes are scheduled to take place at the middle school beginning Monday, and Croney said the high school will reopen later in the week, if cleanup is complete. District officials on Wednesday met with fire restoration companies to tour the building and begin a bidding process for the restoration work.
Thick, black smoke could be seen exiting from the doors on the northeast side of the building when the Oconto Fire Department arrived at about 9 a.m., according to Fire Chief Jack Mlnarik. Once inside, the firefighters met heavy, black smoke in the hallways and high heat and black smoke in the bathroom where the fire originated.
Mlnarik said the partitions in the bathroom were made of a plastic composite material, and when they burned, caused high heat and thick black smoke. Firefighters knocked the fire down within minutes, containing the fire damage to the bathroom and ceiling above.
Fire and water damage was contained to the bathroom and adjoining classrooms, according to Mlnarik, and classrooms and hallways on the north side of the school sustained a significant amount of smoke damage. The estimated dollar amount of the loss has not been determined.
Firefighters were at the scene for three hours completing cleanup and helping staff and students retrieve keys and personal items. Oconto Falls and Pensaukee fire departments assisted the Oconto firefighters. Over 20 firefighters responded.
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