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Sunday’s fire in the Ballston Spa Middle School will keep the building shuttered for the remainder of the week.
Joseph Dragone, the district’s superintendent of schools, said the building needs more cleaning and repairs from smoke damage in the common area in the north end of the building near the tennis court entrance. The school is expected to reopen to students and staff on Monday, Feb. 13.
Dragone could not yet say if the fire and its subsequent closure will affect the scheduled winter break planned from Feb. 20 to 24.
“The safety of students and staff is and will always remain the top priority,” Dragone said. The district took Monday to assess the damage. “This timeline will allow for making necessary repairs and testing systems.”
The afternoon fire was determined to be caused by a battery in a cleaning machine. It caused significant damage to the mechanical controls and systems that operate the entire building, the superintendent said.
Dragone said access to the building is prohibited while the repairs are being made. Students participating in winter sports should expect to hear from their coaches regarding any rescheduled events.
“The district thanks the emergency responders for their quick response on Sunday afternoon and also thanks everyone for your patience and cooperation,” Dragone said.
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