Eastwood School District administration building, bus garage destroyed by fire

Eastwood School Board treasurer Dave Michael speaks with firefighters during a fire at the Eastwood School District administration building and bus garage today in Pemberville, Ohio.

PEMBERVILLE, Ohio -- Fire destroyed the Eastwood School District administration building and bus garage this morning.

School District Superintendent Brent Welker said the cause of the blaze is not known, but it is believed to have started in the garage.

He said all the offices of the superintendent, treasurer, and school board were destroyed. The metal building, at 4800 Sugar Ridge Rd. in Pemberville, of about 5,000 square feet was constructed in 1992. He said the financial damage estimate has not been determined.

There were no injuries related to the fire that was reported about 7:20 a.m.

Mr. Welker said schools will be closed Monday, due to both the weather conditions and the fire.

District operations director Phil Donaldson was on his way to the facilities to plow the parking lot for a scheduled basketball game when he was contacted by the alarm company about the fire. Mr. Donaldson said he and several others were able to move eight buses away from the fire and saved some files and computers from the administrative offices, he said.

Mr. Welker said no buses were destroyed but some trucks and equipment that were kept in the garage were lost. 

The superintendent thanked firefighters, support personnel, and educational colleagues who helped and who contacted him.

Troy and Freedom township fire departments and other area departments responded.