BHS: Fire cancels after-school activities

All after school activities at Burlington High School were canceled Tuesday after a fire in the women's locker room left smoke in the building.

The Burlington Fire Department responded just after 10:30 a.m. and extinguished the fire in the A building, according to a post on the school's website.

"Please note that all after-school and athletic activities, other than hockey, are canceled today and students are being asked to leave sharply at 3 p.m.," the post stated.

Burlington Fire Marshal Barry Simays said a staff member at the school had partially extinguished the fire with a portable fire extinguisher when crews arrived. Burlington fire personnel put out the flames and verified that the fire had not spread.

Smoke from the fire extended throughout the second level and into the gymnasium on the third level of building A, Simays said. Firefighters worked for an hour to ventilate smoke from the building. Students and staff were relocated to the remaining buildings to resume the school day, while building A was closed down for additional ventilation and maintenance.

No students, staff or firefighters were injured during the incident, Simays said. Contents of the girl's locker room sustained an estimated $10,000 in damage, including clean-up services.

The fire remains under investigation. Anyone with information regarding the fire is asked to contact the Burlington Fire Marshal's Office at 802-864-5577.