Bester Elementary to remain closed Wednesday after water damage from small fire

Julie E. Greene, The Herald-Mail
·2 min read

Bester Elementary School will remained closed Wednesday after water damage from a small fire led to early dismissal Tuesday, according to Washington County Public Schools spokesperson Joe Copenhaver.

School staff anticipate the school in Hagerstown's South End will reopen on Thursday, Copenhaver wrote in a text late Tuesday afternoon.

There were no injuries reported, Copenhaver said.

A small fire was found in a bathroom on the second floor and extinguished, according to a school system news release.

Hagerstown Fire Battalion Chief Adam Hopkins said one sprinkler activated in the bathroom, extinguishing the fire. The water from that sprinkler went through the floor to the first floor, he said.

Firefighters worked to control the sprinkler flow, but it had already flooded down to the first floor, he said. Firefighters helped remove water.

Deputy Fire Marshal Deanna Pelton said the sprinkler put the bathroom fire out before it could spread to adjacent classrooms. The bathroom is between two classrooms.

Pelton said she was still investigating the cause of the fire.

A Washington County 911 supervisor also said no one had confirmed with the dispatch center that there had been an actual fire.

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A fire alarm from the 385 Mill St. school, which also runs along South Potomac Street and East Memorial Boulevard, was reported at 11:02 a.m., the 911 supervisor said.

The school in the city's South End was evacuated around 11 a.m. in response to the fire alarm, school system spokesperson Joe Copenhaver said.

"Our personnel and fire personnel responded swiftly. Everyone is safe," Copenhaver said.

School system officials determined, in conjunction with the fire marshal, to dismiss school early due to water damage from the sprinklers, Copenhaver said.

Bester, which has about 430 students, normally would have dismissed at 3:30 p.m., he said.

The school system alerted parents to the early dismissal using a communication system that involved texts, emails and a phone call, Copenhaver said.

Hagerstown Fire, Hagerstown Police and Washington County Emergency Management helped school officials with the early dismissal of students, Hopkins said.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Hagerstown elementary school dismisses early due to water damage