The smell of burnt building materials still hung heavy in the warm afternoon sun, but the process of returning the students was already well under way, yesterday. Terry Procter, principal of the Elsie Wilcox Elementary School, said that following a
The smell of burnt building materials still hung heavy in the warm afternoon sun, but the process of returning the students was already well under way, yesterday.
Terry Procter, principal of the Elsie Wilcox Elementary School, said that following a blaze that damaged a portable classroom Tuesday night, the teacher and students from the affected classroom were relocated on campus, all of the furniture from the classroom was removed and the evaluation for returning the classroom to service had already begun.
The classroom housed special education students in grades two, three and four, Procter said.
According to a press release from the Kaua‘i Fire Department, eight firefighters and rescue specialists from the Lihu‘e fire station responded to the 9:25 p.m. alarm Tuesday, and by 9:35 p.m., the fire was fully extinguished.
“Damage to the building was pretty much confined to the outside of the building,” Procter said. “I was getting ready for bed when I got the call about 9 p.m., and we are grateful to the fire department and the school security for its quick response to the situation. Otherwise, damage might have been greater.”
Damages to the 400-square-foot wooden structure and its contents are estimated to be between $20,000 and $30,000, the fire department release states.
“We are grateful that Eric Agena and two other people from the Department of Accounting and General Services were on the scene Tuesday night,” said Sherry Scott, vice principal of Wilcox Elementary. “They assured us that they are planning on doing a quick job of repairing the damages. The DAGS people always do a good and fast job of taking care of situations like this and never get the recognition they deserve.”
Procter said work on the building can start once testing for dangerous materials such as asbestos and lead has been completed. Results from those tests should be in by early next week.
“DAGS has hired a contractor to replace the burned boards and replace the carpet inside the classroom,” Procter said.
He noted that the fire started on one of two stairs leading to the classroom, but due to the quick action from the responders, damage was limited to primarily the building’s exterior.
Cause of the Tuesday night blaze is under investigation by the fire department and anyone with information about the fire is asked to call police dispatch at 241-1711, or Crime Stoppers at 241-1887.
The Tuesday night blaze was the second in two years that affected portable classrooms at Wilcox Elementary.
In late March of 2007, members of the East Kaua‘i Lions Club arriving for its annual Pancake Breakfast preparations happened on a portable classroom which was almost fully engulfed in flames by the time firefighters responded.
That blaze totally destroyed the portable classroom and Procter and his staff are still waiting for its replacement.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com
