BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WJRT) – A fire erupted at a preschool in the Saginaw area early this morning, creating a tense situation as children were arriving for class.
Staff members first noticed a strange smell and then saw smoke as fire crews arrived around 7:45 a.m. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
“Heavy smoke was coming from the roof, and flames were visible from the window,” said Aaron Hoeppner, Deputy Fire Chief of Buena Vista Township.
Firefighters responded to the Brunkow Preschool, which is part of the Saginaw Intermediate School District. Dr. Ericka Taylor, Executive Director of Early Childhood for the district, emphasized the vulnerability of the children present. “This is preschool. We have three and four-year-olds, infants, and babies.”
At the time of the fire, nine children had already arrived, but the 32 staff members successfully evacuated the building.
Hoeppner reported that his department, along with crews from Saginaw and Bridgeport, quickly extinguished the flames. “The fire damage was limited to two rooms, but there is extensive smoke damage,” he noted.
Investigators quickly identified the cause of the fire. “Using video surveillance and photos, along with testimonies from people in the building, we determined that a fluorescent light fixture caught fire and spread to the ceiling space,” Hoeppner explained.
As students arrived on buses, those who could be sent home were, while others stayed until their parents were notified. “We kept the children who couldn’t go home until we reached their families,” said Taylor.
Due to the fire and smoke damage, the building is currently unusable. While it is unclear how long it will remain closed, Taylor assured families that services would continue in some form. “Our goal is to provide the services we promised, even if it looks a little different,” she said.
Hoeppner estimates that it may take six to eight weeks before the preschool can reopen. “We are fortunate that the building was not fully occupied at the time of the fire,” he added.
Taylor expressed gratitude that only nine children were present during the incident. “All of our staff and students followed procedures perfectly,” she said.
The preschool has ten classrooms and serves 144 children. Dr. Taylor mentioned that the district has other facilities that will likely accommodate preschoolers until Brunkow can reopen.