WENTZVILLE, Mo. — Officials at Peine Ridge Elementary closed the school after a trash can fire inside one of the school's bathrooms caused damage early Monday morning, officials told 5 On Your Side.
Firefighters responded to the school and extinguished the fire, according to Wentzville Fire Protection District Assistant Fire Chief Michael Scott. Details about how the fire was started were not released.
Scott said he didn't see much damage, but also said if it were up to him, kids would be forced to go home due to the high amount of smoke from the fire.
School officials originally told 5 On Your Side that students would not be sent home due to the fire. A later email from the school principal clarified that students not picked up before 11 a.m. were going to be transported to the nearby Holt High School's new standalone gym for lunch and to await pickup.
"We learned that the fire did more damage than originally anticipated and out of an abundance of caution, the fire department has advised us to keep our building clear for the remainder of the day," Principal Ryan Andrews said in an email to parents. "Peine Ridge Elementary is closing for the rest of the day."
The Wentzville Fire Protection District did not share additional details about the extent of the damage with 5 On Your Side.
The school held outdoor activities for students until 11 a.m.
Any student not picked up before the usual school day's end will be transported home by the district.
"Our teams are working hard to clean the building so we can resume classes tomorrow. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation," Andrews said.
