New Milford High to reopen Friday
NEW MILFORD — The high school plans to reopen its doors Friday after a roof construction fire caused an emergency evacuation of the school Wednesday and the closure of school on Thursday, according to officials.
New Milford High School was still closed for the remainder of the day Thursday, with adult education classes going remote and all after-school activities canceled.
On Wednesday around 1:10 p.m., high schoolers evacuated after construction on the school’s roof created smoke. The fire department was called in and was evaluating the building following evacuation.
Workers on the roof were using a torch when some fiberglass insulation caught fire. The flames then spread to the plywood underlay, according to Fire Marshal Kevin Reynolds.
Reynolds estimated that the fire damaged a roughly 10-by-20 section of the roof, but said that was not considered “significant damage.”
No injuries were reported during the incident.
The construction is part of a roughly $4.76 million roof upgrade project the district has undertaken.
Mayor Pete Bass posted an update from Superintendent Alisha DiCorpo on his Facebook page, which
said that the school would be closed Thursday because of concerns about damage.
“After further assessment of the New Milford High School facility, there is some damage that needs to be addressed as well as other mitigation strategies that must be in place prior to students and staff entering the building,” the statement from DiCorpo read in part.
New Milford High School students and staff were not allowed back in the building Wednesday evening following evacuation to gather personal belongings.
Friday will be a regular school day, according to officals, with all scheduled after school activities in full swing.