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Despite ongoing efforts to keep the vacant former Strong School closed, a squatter apparently got inside — and a fire followed.
The one-alarm fire took place at the former elementary school at 69 Grand Ave. Tuesday shortly before 7:30 a.m.
No one was injured, according to Fire Chief John Alston Jr.
Alston said investigators are looking into the cause. “It concerns us anytime a building that is vacant catches on fire when there are no primary energy sources,” he said.
The circa-1916 building has been vacant for years as the city and Chatham Square neighbors have debated its best next use.
In the meantime, neighbors have pressed the public schools to prevent deterioration of the facility. Neighbors have pitched in by, for example, painting a mural on the building.
“It does look like someone broke in last night and either set a cook fire or a warmth fire” even though “we had the building pretty well secured,” school system Chief Operating Officer Michael Pinto told the Independent Tuesday.
Pinto said he’s not sure yet how the person got inside the building.
No one was inside the building during the fire, he said.
He called the damage from the fire “relatively contained,” including “some of the floor in the gymnasium area.” Workers are in the process of clearing out metal shelving and water-damaged books. The next step involves sending in a cleaning crew “to dry it out and do the restoration as best we can for now. Then we will close it back up as tight as we can.”
“We identified some pinch points we need to shore up a little better,” Pinto said.
