Police

Firefighters put out fire at Riverhead High School classroom

Fire Jan 10

An ESL classroom was destroyed after a fire broke out inside an empty portable at Riverhead High School Sunday afternoon, according to school and fire department officials.

More than 70 firefighters from four departments assisted in extinguishing the blaze, which was reported to the Riverhead Fire Department through a 1:45 p.m. automatic alarm.

Though no one was inside North Portable No. 3, where the fire occurred, about 100 people had to be evacuated from the main building, where the curtain was about to open on a school production of “Bye, Bye Birdie,”school superintendent Nancy Carney said.

“We’re very thankful to the Riverhead Fire Department and surrounding departments,” Ms. Carney said. “Thank goodness the fire departments got here so quickly and, most importantly, no one was inside.”

Fire at Riverhead High School

Riverhead Fire Department public information officer Bill Sanok said the Jamesport, Flanders and Eastport fire departments all responded to a call for mutual aid that was placed after flames could be seen “coming through the roof.”

Firefighters contained the fire within 30 minutes and no injuries were reported at the scene, he said. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

Ms. Carney said several computers, a smart board, books, desks and other classroom materials destroyed in the fire.

School will resume Monday, Ms. Carney said, with classes impacted by the fire meeting in the main building until further notice. She said she did not know if the play would be rescheduled for another date.

Photo credit: Vera Chinese