School district officials are still assessing the damage from Friday’s fire at Briar Glen Elementary School in Wheaton, though it’s not clear yet whether the blaze will affect plans for the first day of school.

Eight classrooms were damaged - four of them significantly - during the Friday afternoon fire, which started on the roof of the southern end of the building.

Investigators believe it began accidentally when a work crew doing repairs ignited some chemicals.

The fire did not spread into the building, but it did puncture the roof, causing significant smoke and water damage in the several classrooms, District 89 officials said. The water damage was made even worse by this weekend’s thunderstorms. Workers have since resealed the roof.

The classrooms suffered collapsed ceiling tiles and were left with water on the floors and soaking desks, book cases and electronics. The library media center and music room also sustained water damage.

Most, if not all, of the computers in the southern part of the building will have to be replaced, and now there is concern about whether humidity from the water damage affected electronics in other parts of the building, district officials said.

Clean-up began Friday evening, and by Sunday 95 percent of the water had been removed. Starting Tuesday, teachers will be  able to get back into their classrooms and see what can be salvaged.

“It will be several days before we know the full extent of damage and restoration work needed,” District 89 Superintendent John Perdue said in a letter to parents Saturday.
“I know people are wondering about school starting on Aug. 27, as are we,” he said. “It is simply too early to determine that, but we are considering options if necessary.”

The District 89 Board of Education will meet in the next week to discuss the damage and the process of restoring the building.

No one was in the building when the fire began at noon Friday. The blaze was under control less than an hour after firefighters arrived on the scene, district officials said.
A few firefighters were treated for unspecified injuries on the scene and released. No one had to be hospitalized, said District 89 spokeswoman Cheryl Myer.

One classroom potentially affected was that of art teacher Sally Dillon.

She went to the school when she heard about the fire, and along with parents, students and neighbors, watched in the 90-degree heat Friday as firefighters battled the blaze.
Dillon was worried about the fate of her classroom and the 22 years of supplies and teaching materials she’s accumulated.