Students Begin Returning To West Virginia Schools For The Deaf And The Blind Following Fire
ROMNEY, W.Va. (AP) — Students are returning to the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind in Romney this week after a fire destroyed the school's old administration building.
The fire was reported early on the morning of Feb. 26. No one was injured but the building was a total loss, and servers housed there that powered Internet and telephone service for the campus required extensive repairs, according to a news release from the West Virginia Department of Education. Students were moved to remote learning.
The administration building was among the oldest structures on campus, dating back to the 1800s. State Superintendent of Schools W. Clayton Burch called it part of the school's culture and tradition.
"It is a significant loss to everyone," Burch said in the news release. He added, "It was inspiring to see the response of so many agencies, organizations, community members, and individuals from around the country who stepped into action and showed concern in a number of ways."
The West Virginia State Fire Marshal's office has said the cause of the fire is undetermined.
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