A fire in the basement of John Taylor High School in west Winnipeg prompted an evacuation of the building on Tuesday morning.
Close to 700 students and staff were forced out just before 9 a.m. while crews fought the fire. Everyone made it out safely, said the school division.
The fire was reported in a storage room in the basement.
“It took awhile to get water to the basement and get into the room and put the fire out. It went out fairly quickly, though. There were some electrical concerns and a broke water pipe. The school was charged with smoke. We’ve been isolating the school, trying to clear it out,” said Chuck Jonasson from the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service.
Students were sent to neighbouring Hedges Middle School and Buchanan School. Parents were told to pick up their children at those locations.
Fire officials said they believe the fire was electrical and began in a school storage room. They estimated the damage at about $150,000, adding the building had heat, smoke and water damage as a result of the blaze.
Officials also confirmed no one was injured in the fire.
Officials said information on when classes at the school will resume will be posted on the St. James-Assiniboia School Division website.
