INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Fire Rescue officials gave an “all-clear” soon after a teacher put out a small fire that ignited in a bathroom, causing the entire campus at a middle school to evacuate, authorities said. No injuries were reported from the blaze.
This is the second fire involving a bathroom at a campus within the School District to happen this week.
“We can’t speculate if there is a connection between the two fires,” School District spokeswoman Cristen McMillan said. “We don’t have the results of either investigation.”
The blaze occurred about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in a boys bathroom at Storm Grove Middle School, 6400 57th Street. A fire alarm sounded and the entire campus was evacuated, McMillan said.
Students and staff safely evacuated the school. A teacher immediately extinguished the flames that were contained to the bathroom, Sheriff’s Sgt. Fletcher McClellan said.
*Note for videos – Click the audio icon in the lower right hand corner for sound. If that doesn’t work, try refreshing the page.
Emergency officials gave an “all-clear” shortly after and students were dismissed at the regular time – 2:45 p.m., according to McMillan and McClellan.
Indian River County Fire Rescue officials are still at the scene. Details on the fire damage to the bathroom were not immediately available.
The state fire marshal is at the middle school investigating the cause of the blaze.
Further details on the fire were not immediately available.
A small bathroom fire was been reported at Storm Grove Middle School. The fire was immediately extinguished. First responders are on the scene, and all students have been safely evacuated from the building. The school will follow normal dismissal procedures. @StormGroveFever pic.twitter.com/LLwc2hYd8D
— Indian River Schools (@IRCSchools) May 8, 2018
The fire at Storm Grove Middle School wasn’t the only incident involving an evacuation on Tuesday. Around the same time, a fire alarm prompted the evacuation of the Indian River County Courthouse, 2000 16th Avenue, Vero Beach.
Police closed 16th Avenue immediately in front of the courthouse building for a short time, officers said. The evacuation was lifted soon after and employees were allowed to go back inside.
This story will be updated.