SGES Students, Staff Safe After Smoky Fire Forces Evacuation

Firefighters and rescue personnel converge on SGES when a fire alarm was issued.

By Mary Romaniec, Reporter –

South Grafton Elementary School students and staff are safe after a mid-morning fire led to a full evacuation of the building.

Young children left the building without jackets when the fire alarm went off. Firefighters arrived and quickly addressed the source of the smoke, which initial reports indicate was caused by a space heater.

The biggest concern was to quickly move the students out of the frigid temperatures. Celeste Allain, Secretary of St. James Catholic Church, said she was just about to contact the school to offer the use of the church hall for the students when she received a call from the school.

The students and staff were ensconced in the parish hall, with some pre-school students being picked up by their parents. Main Street on both sides of the school was closed to all traffic. Parents arriving to pick up their children parked in the St. James parking lot and walked across the street to the hall.

While firefighters continued to assess safety in the building, staff from the school tried to keep the students calm with mild entertainment and engagement of those who seemed anxious. School Superintendent Jay Cummings was on hand in the hall as well.

Word came in later that students would not be allowed back in the school for the remainder of the day. Buses transported them to the Millbury Street Elementary School, where they were to receive lunch and remain until normal afternoon dismissal, according to a notification sent to parents from Assistant Superintendent Tracey Calo.

Questions should be directed to the Central Office at 508-839-5421, ext. 0.

Nervous parents arrive to pick up their preschool children who were evacuated to the St. James Catholic Church hall.

Firefighters evaluate the safety of the SGES building after smoke broke out leading to a full evacuation of the building.