Fire breaks out at Calgary high school, classes move online for rest of year
An investigation is underway into an early morning fire at a charter school in the southeast neighbourhood of Acadia that will see all classes move online for the remainder of the school year.
Fire crews responded to reports of smoke billowing out of Foundations for the Future Charter Academy - South High School Campus, in the 300 block of 86th Avenue S.E. at around 2 a.m.
The fire appears to have started in a storage area outside the school, and damage was contained to the exterior of the building.
No injuries have been reported. Fire crews remained on scene, venting the smoke that had made its way into the school.
Jeff Wilson, the chair of the board of directors for Foundations for the Future Charter Academy, confirmed in a statement to CTV News that students would move to online learning for the rest of the year.
"FFCA is in the process of transitioning affected students to online learning," said Wilson in his statement sent Monday morning.
"Approximately 500 students and dozens of staff are impacted by this. We cannot comment on the investigation at this time but can confirm the building is unusable for the remainder of the school year. The damage to the interior and exterior of the building is extensive but until the investigation by Calgary Fire and Calgary Police is concluded, we won’t be able to assess the building’s long-term usability.
"Our thoughts are with the students and staff who are dealing with yet another major disruption to their education. After over two years of uncertainty driven by the pandemic, this event adds yet another layer of stress and anxiety for everyone impacted by it.
"We are grateful for the support being offered by Alberta Education as we look for alternatives to Dr. Norman Bethune school and hope to have our students and staff back together in classrooms as soon as possible."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
It could take years to catch up on child vaccinations in Ontario post-pandemic
Ontario is still playing catch up on routine vaccinations that many children missed during the pandemic and public health officials are warning that it could take years to solve the problem.