Highland High School Fire caused by electrical failure; accidental in nature
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POCATELLO — Investigators have determined an electrical failure caused the massive fire that ripped through Highland High School’s D Building on Friday, April 21.
Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 and the Pocatello Fire Department held a news conference Monday morning to announce the cause and answer questions from the media about changes at the school moving forward.
Pocatello Fire Department Chief Ryan O’Hearn said the origin of the fire was located near the north wall of the stage in the cafeteria. The cause was “electrical in nature due to faulty equipment, and the fire was definitively ruled as accidental in nature.”
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The fire at the school started at about 4 a.m. Friday, and quickly tore through the section of the school. The fire destroyed the band and choir rooms, cafeteria and the school’s gymnasium before it was contained by 9 a.m.
O’Hearn said the investigation was a collaborative effort between the Pocatello Fire Department, Pocatello Police Department, the State Fire Marshal and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms. He said that the scope of the investigation was to determine the cause of the fire and rule out criminal activity.
“I just want to take this time to thank all the responding agencies and personnel. All crews worked very hard to bring this fire under control as quickly as possible. Their efforts resulted in a significant amount of property being saved,” O’Hearn said.
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O’Hearn said the effort to fight the fire was a collaborative one by the Pocatello Fire Department, Chubbuck Fire Department, Pocatello Police Department, Bannock County Search and Rescue and Pocatello Regional Transit.
District Superintendent Douglas Howell said the fire was “something tragic, very devastating, and yet we will look forward to rebuilding and for even better things to come.”
EastIdahoNews.com will publish a larger story on the full news conference later today.