LaMoure cancels two days of class

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John M. Steiner / The Sun Crews investigate the fire damage Saturday in the family and consumer sciences classroom at LaMoure (N.D.) Public School.

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LAMOURE, N.D. — Superintendent Mitch Carlson canceled Monday’s and Tuesday’s classes at the school here after a fire Friday destroyed one classroom and left smoke damage in others.

The cause of the fire at LaMoure (N.D.) Public School was still under investigation Sunday. Carlson said the fire did not seem to have a suspicious cause.

About 44 firefighters from the LaMoure, Edgeley, Oakes and Marion fire departments responded to the fire around 8:15 p.m. Friday.

No injuries were reported.

A teacher noticed smoke and called 911, Carlson said. Carlson said he didn’t believe anyone besides the teacher was in the building at the time.

The fire began in the school’s family and consumer sciences classroom, or old home economics room, on the high school side, Carlson said. That part of the building was built in the late 1960s.

“Our building is in good shape,” Carlson said. “Just an unfortunate incident.” Carlson said the building hasn’t had a fire in his 12 years with the school.

Officials were determining damage from smoke on Saturday. A value had not been set as of Sunday.

“Fire did not spread to other classrooms,” Carlson said.

Fire crews worked Saturday to rid the building of the smoke smell, said LaMoure Fire Chief Henry Johnson said.

“The smoke spread through the entire high school, some more than other rooms,” Carlson said.

LaMoure Public Schools serves about 280 K-12 students. It is holding a meeting for parents and students at 5 p.m. today at the school to discuss the fire and plans for the school. A LaMoure Public School staff meeting is set for 9 a.m. today, Carlson said Sunday.

Also, the LaMoure girls basketball games originally scheduled for today at LaMoure have been rescheduled to Tuesday at Verona.

LaMoure is approximately 60 miles southeast of Jamestown.

Sun reporter Katie Ryan-Anderson can be reached at 701-952-8454 or by e-mail at kryan-anderson@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, news, fire, lamoure