Electrical fire burns part of high school

Smoke and flames did $300,000 in damage to classrooms and equipment in King High School's media center. Portable classrooms will be brought in and the building closed for repairs.

By TAMARA LUSH, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published July 24, 2003

TAMPA - An electrical fire that sparked two explosions at King High School caused $300,000 in damage to the media center building Wednesday morning, authorities said.

The building off Sligh Avenue, which houses the school's television production equipment as well as its journalism studies and culinary arts programs, was heavily damaged by smoke, said Mark Hart, spokesman for the Hillsborough School District.

The fire started in the electrical room of the media center at 8:44 a.m. when an electrician working on upgrading the wires opened a panel, said Frank Fernandez, spokesman for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue.

Authorities say the fire likely caused explosions in an electrical junction box and in a nearby transformer. Both the transformer and junction box are located in the parking lot. The force of the explosion caused the asphalt to buckle underneath a van.

Flames damaged the electrical panel, the transformer and the junction box. The rest of the school at 56th Street and Sligh Avenue was untouched by the fire.

"The fire was fairly well contained to the electric room," said Hart. "But there was smoke all over the media center."

The building contained an extensive amount of computers, video editing systems and other equipment.

It is unclear how long the building will be closed for repairs. Hart said the district will move nine portable classrooms to the school. Electricians were working on the media center as part of a $9-million school renovation, Hart said. The electrician who opened the panel was a subcontractor and worked for A and A Electric.

The man, whose name was not released, suffered burns on his arms. He was taken by ambulance to Tampa General Hospital. His condition was not released Wednesday.

The fire was ruled accidental, said Hart and Fernandez.