LYNCHBURG, Va – One week after a fire broke out inside Paul Munro Elementary, Lynchburg City School officials are still working to repair the damage.
Lynchburg fire marshals said a heater caused the fire inside a second-grade classroom. Although it was contained to one room, excessive smoke damage caused a greater issue.
Steve Gatzek, LCS senior director for finance and operations, said debris contaminated an entire hallway and multiple classrooms because the smoke went through the HVAC system.
Crews are tearing down ceilings and cleaning books and other school supplies.
Gatzek said although they know what caused the fire, they’re still figuring out how it happened.
“There was some, I think, paper material and some plastic [near the heater], and that’s where most of the smoke damage came from, was the plastic burning,” said Gatzek.
That included a plastic, children’s chair.
Gatzek said no word yet on the cost of damages, but the building is insured.
Students were already on a hybrid schedule, but have switched to remote learning full-time — at least through the holidays.
Gatzek hopes to have everything safe and ready for children to resume some in-person classes by the time they return on January 4th.