Local
Electrical malfunction sparks fire at Ranch View Middle School; students evacuated safely
A fire at Ranch View Middle School in Highlands Ranch was brought under control Tuesday afternoon, and no injuries were reported. Students were relocated to ThunderRidge High School while crews worked to clear smoke from the building.
An electrical malfunction in a light fixture inside an unoccupied classroom caused a fire Tuesday at Ranch View Middle School in Highlands Ranch, according to South Metro Fire Rescue’s Fire Marshal’s Office.
Firefighters were called to the school at 1731 W. Wildcat Reserve Parkway at about 1:05 p.m. The fire was under control a little more than 20 minutes later. Everyone in the building was evacuated safely, and no injuries were reported.
Smoke ventilation remained a challenge after the flames were extinguished, and crews were developing a plan to clear smoke from the building, the fire department said.
The Douglas County School District moved Ranch View students to ThunderRidge High School. Families could pick up students there, with middle school administrators stationed in the west-side parking lot. The district warned that traffic could be heavier than usual because both schools were dismissing students in the same area.
Students were allowed to collect their belongings upon dismissal. Buses were scheduled to run normally, and after-school activities were expected to continue as planned. The district said Ranch View classes would resume Wednesday.