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Fire causes extensive damage to Strawberry

Vale Elementary roof
Roxanne Egan-Elliott
Jul 11, 2020 12:21 PM

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Saanich fire crews battle a fire at Strawberry Vale Elementary school on Saturday, July 11, 2020. | Saanich Fire
Department

Saanich fire inspectors are investigating after an early morning fire at an elementary school.

The Saanich Fire Department received a call about 4 a.m. Saturday about a fire at Strawberry Vale Elementary,
said platoon captain Mitch Williams.

Crews arrived to find smoke and flames coming from the school’s roof.

It took 20 firefighters a couple of hours to extinguish the “stubborn” fire, because the school’s unusual roof
structure made the blaze more challenging to suppress, Williams said.

“It took a bit of work to get into the areas that were kind of hidden and open them to make sure that it was fully
extinguished,” he said.

The fire caused extensive damage to the school’s roof and interior.

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Williams said he couldn’t speculate on the cost of the damage, but it would be enough to close the school if the
fire had happened during the school year.

“The sprinkler systems had gone on in the school and there was lots of water damage and fire damage. The
skylights burnt out, and there’s some holes through the roof, so yeah there wouldn’t be any school, for sure,” he
said.

No one was injured in the blaze.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.

An inspector remained at the scene Saturday, and an investigation is underway.