Firefighters battled a blaze that heavily damaged a Catholic school in Delaware County Monday afternoon.
The two-alarm fire began after 5 p.m. at Saint Francis of Assisi Parish School in Springfield Township in the primary building serving pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, first and third grades students.
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Responders have not revealed the cause of the fire, but no injuries were reported and no one was in the building while it was on fire. The school, which is part of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and located at 112 Saxer Ave., canceled Tuesday classes.
Crews are currently assisting Springfield Twp with a 2nd alarm building fire at Saint Francis of Assisi School located on Saxer Ave.
Posted by Garden City Fire Company #1 on Monday, October 7, 2024
Springfield Police kept the area surrounding the school closed through Monday night. Police opened roads near Saint Francis by Tuesday morning except for Saxer Avenue between Rolling and Orchard roads.
"Rest assured, we are a strong community," a social media statement from Saint Francis of Assisi School read. "We are surrounded by a town that cares about us. Things can always be replaced. People cannot. And it will be the people, through our collective efforts, that see through this difficult time."
Plans to find an "alternate learning location" for the approximately 150 students affected by the loss of classroom space are already in the works, a spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia told NBC10.
Saint Francis of Assisi Parish School was established in 1929 and teaches children from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. It is unclear if and how long classes will be canceled beyond Tuesday as a result of the fire.
