School was canceled Thursday morning at a Sacramento middle school after a fire ripped through several classrooms as a result of suspected arson, officials said.Metro Fire crews received a call about 1:45 a.m. of a fire at James Rutter Middle School on Palmer House Drive.The blaze was quickly contained and extinguished, but flames had already ripped through six classrooms and a teacher's workspace in the F wing of the campus, according to Elk Grove Unified School District officials."It's shocking and it's disturbing," school district spokesperson Xanthi Pinkerton said.District officials determined that because there was extensive damage to the core area of the school, classes were canceled.The blaze appeared to have started in a centralized teacher's lounge area, which is surrounded by six classrooms. Investigators believe someone may have broken in and started the fire, officials said."If there is something positive in this, it's that firefighters were able to rescue a classroom rabbit during the fire," Pinkerton said.School officials were discussing the possibility of whether to reopen the school Friday or keep the campus closed through spring break, which begins Monday. Updates will be available online and on the school's Facebook page.Stay with KCRA for updates.

School was canceled Thursday morning at a Sacramento middle school after a fire ripped through several classrooms as a result of suspected arson, officials said.



Metro Fire crews received a call about 1:45 a.m. of a fire at James Rutter Middle School on Palmer House Drive.

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The blaze was quickly contained and extinguished, but flames had already ripped through six classrooms and a teacher's workspace in the F wing of the campus, according to Elk Grove Unified School District officials.

"It's shocking and it's disturbing," school district spokesperson Xanthi Pinkerton said.

District officials determined that because there was extensive damage to the core area of the school, classes were canceled.

The blaze appeared to have started in a centralized teacher's lounge area, which is surrounded by six classrooms. Investigators believe someone may have broken in and started the fire, officials said.

"If there is something positive in this, it's that firefighters were able to rescue a classroom rabbit during the fire," Pinkerton said.

School officials were discussing the possibility of whether to reopen the school Friday or keep the campus closed through spring break, which begins Monday. Updates will be available online and on the school's Facebook page.

Stay with KCRA for updates.