The West Newbury Fire Department, alongside mutual aid partners, responded to a fire at Pentucket Regional High School Saturday afternoon.
The incident has left the status of middle/high school classes in question for Monday. An update is expected by Sunday.
At approximately 2:57 p.m., West Newbury Fire Department received a fire alarm activation indicating a fire in the building. Upon arrival, crews discovered a fire in the back of the school auditorium.
A West Newbury police officer and a Pentucket teacher who was working with the school’s robotics team elsewhere in the building quickly extinguished the flames using a fire extinguisher. Firefighters also stretched a line to address hot spots and ensure the fire was fully extinguished. Crews are currently ventilating the building to remove smoke.
Approximately 20 students from the robotics team were in the building at the time of the fire. The students were evacuated from the building and dismissed to their families. There were no injuries.
School Assistant Superintendent Brent Conway stated, “A decision on whether School will be held on Monday at the middle/high school will be determined by Sunday evening. Information will be posted on the school’s website, www.prsd.org. He also stated, “The quick action of the lead teacher and mentors who were working in the building, saved the fire from spreading further.”
Mutual aid was provided by the Groveland, Newbury, Merrimac, and Georgetown Fire Departments, and Atlantic Ambulance. The Newbury Fire Department covered West Newbury during the incident.
The West Newbury building and electrical inspectors and the Massachusetts State Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene.
The origin and cause of the fire remain under investigation by the West Newbury Police and Fire Departments, the Groveland Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal’s office, however a preliminary investigation at the scene indicates that the fire was accidental and caused by work on the auditorium stage.