Fire forces evacuation at Delaware school

The fire broke out just after 12:30 Tuesday afternoon at the Wilmington Friends School.  All students made it out of the building safely.

The fire may have started in the area of the school’s auditorium, according to a post on the Wilmington Friends’ website.  School leaders say all students were accounted for after the evacuation.  

“There was a fire alarm, the kids thought it was a drill, and they all evacuated the building just like they’re supposed to,” says Kathleen Magner-Rios.  Her daughter attends the school and called her with the news.  “We pulled up and kind of hit a wall of smoke which was distressing.  We walked down to the school, saw more fire trucks… they’re still working to get the fire out.”

Parents were asked not to go directly to the school to pick up their children.  Instead they were instructed to go Papastravos Associates, which is located at 1701 Augustine Cut-Off.

Fire companies from as far away as Odessa helped to battle the blaze.  At least one fire fighter needed medical attention.  The Delaware State Fire Marshall’s office will release more information later in the day.

Wilmington Friends is a Quaker school founded in 1748.