Private school in Clayton catches fire

UPDATED at 8:42 a.m. Thursday with new details from fire chief

CLAYTON A fire that apparently started in the attic early Thursday morning damaged a historic building of The Wilson School, a private school on DeMun Avenue.

The school, for pre-kindergartenthrough sixth grade,is at 400 DeMun Avenueoff of Wydown Boulevard in Clayton. Students are onspring break this week.

The cause of the three-alarm fire is under investigation. Authorities don't think it's suspicious. There were storms in the area, and a lightning strike is possible, said Clayton Fire Chief Mark Thorp.

About a third of the school sustained water damage, including to its library at the main entrance. The flames were confined to the roof and attic.

Thad Falkner, the head of school who lives next door,was alerted at about 2:20 a.m. Thursday that the smoke alarms were sounding. He was out frontasfirefighters were arriving, and flames and heavy smoke were coming from the roof.

About 60 firefighters helped put out the fire. No one was injured. The fire was under control within about 15 minutes, and it was out within an hour, the chief said.

Falkner added: "We don't know exactly the origin, but the fire spread throughout the attic, which runs above our classsrooom spaces, and they (firefighters) had to do significant work to battle the fire."

The firefighters went into the attic andtore a hole in the roof to ventilate it.

Falkner said students were scheduled to return on Monday but, with fire cleanup,he'll have to decide if that's still on track.

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Private school in Clayton catches fire