MILFORD, Del.– A three-alarm fire caused significant damage to Lulu M. Ross Elementary School in Milford early Sunday morning, according to the Milford School District.
Firefighters were dispatched to the school on Lovers Lane shortly before 4:30 a.m. Sunday. According to the school district, when firefighters arrived, several areas along the north end of the school's Kent Hallway were on fire. The district says it took approximately three hours to bring the fire under control.
The flames eventually spread into the school's lobby and front office areas. The library sustained significant damage, while classrooms in both the Kent and New Castle hallways were also heavily damaged.
"We know there will be a lot of questions, and we will work diligently to have those answers for everyone, especially those impacted from this tragic event," a statement on the Milford School District Facebook page reads. "I ask our community to keep our students, parents, and employees of Lulu Ross in your thoughts and prayers as there will be difficult times ahead as we come to the realization of how significant this truly is."
Multiple fire departments responded to the scene, including the Georgetown Fire Company, which assisted the Carlisle Fire Company. An image shared by the Georgetown Fire Company showed a large plume of smoke rising from the school.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. According to the district, the Delaware State Fire Marshal's Office is on scene assessing the damage and working to determine what sparked the blaze.
The Milford School District says its crisis team is meeting Sunday morning to begin developing both short-term and long-term plans for students and staff, including how instruction will continue following the fire.
