The Campbell River school district says the fire at Carihi Secondary on November 21, 2024, was accidental.
The district says investigators with the Campbell River Fire Department determined the fire was the result of spontaneous combustion from “a reaction between cooking oils on fabrics, heat after laundering, and inadequate ventilation.”
SD72 says it’s a rare occurrence, and the district will review and further reinforce safe handling and laundering practices to help prevent similar incidents in the future.
“The safety and well-being of our students, staff, and school community is always our top priority. We remain grateful for the swift response of the Campbell River and Courtenay fire departments in keeping the fire contained, and the coverage provided by the Oyster River fire department.”
In the aftermath of the fire, the district reported 13 teaching spaces in the school were affected by the fire, including five classrooms in B-wing and two classrooms in A-wing.
Instruction has resumed in areas of the school that were not affected by the fire, and the former Oyster River school is now being used temporarily for those Carihi classes forced to relocate while restoration work is underway.
