Crime & Safety
Updated: Fire at Hazelwood West Not Started by a Cigarette in a Trashcan
HSD says that the fire was not started by a cigarette, as had been previously rumored.
Updated 3:32 p.m. Patch received word from Hazelwood School District Assitant Superintendant Diana Gulotta, who said the fire was not started by a cigarette.
Original Story--There was a small fire in a basement-level trash can on Friday at . According to an email sent by Principal Dennis Newell, the school was evacuated and no one was injured.
"The responded and checked the lower level of our building," Newell wrote in the email. "Students who had classes in the lower classrooms on the basement floor were housed in the Commons for the remainder of the day."
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Newell added that the investigation continues and the school is checking security cameras to find out what happened.
Reactions from the Community
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Hazelwood student Jaylen Bledsoe posted on Hazelwood Patch's Facebook page that the fire could've been caused by a cigarette in the trashcan. Another resident, Kelly Kirkbride, said she heard the same thing.
"That is why the buses were late bringing the kids home," Kirkbride posted.
Lisa Meyeroff-Landoldt posted that she saw the fire truck driving in to the school last week and wondered what was happening.
"I remember when I went there, kids used to start small fires in the bathroom trash cans," posted former student Laurie Tenshler.
Liz Kiernan said she was there that day and confirmed that "someone started a fire in a basement trashcan."
Did you hear about the fire? Do you believe it was a cigarette that started it or something else? Share your thoughts in the comments section, below.