Article Text
Fires broke out at two D.C.-area elementary schools Sunday afternoon, damaging a Maryland classroom and a section under construction at a Virginia campus. No injuries were reported in either incident.
César Chávez Dual Spanish Immersion School in Chillum, Maryland, will be closed Monday while officials assess the damage and investigate the cause.
The Prince George’s County Fire and EMS Department said the fire began around 6 p.m. and was contained to one classroom. The school plans to reopen to students Tuesday.
Earlier Sunday, Fairfax County firefighters responded to Bren Mar Park Elementary School in Alexandria, Virginia, after heavy smoke and flames were reported at the rear of the building.
Crews were dispatched to the school on Beryl Road around 3:20 p.m., and a second alarm was called. Firefighters extinguished the blaze without any reported injuries.
Fairfax County Public Schools said the fire occurred on the roof of a new portion of the school that remains under construction. The main building was not affected.
The school system credited firefighters’ quick response with preventing a more serious incident. Although the cause remains under investigation, fire officials determined that the campus was safe for students to return Monday.