ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A fire broke out at St. Petersburg Catholic High School Tuesday afternoon after what school officials believe was a lightning strike, sending firefighters to the West St. Petersburg campus and prompting a large emergency response.
The fire was reported shortly after 3:30 p.m. at the school’s gymnasium, located on the campus at 6333 Ninth Avenue North. St. Petersburg Fire Rescue described the incident as a multiple-alarm structure fire, with firefighters working both inside the building and on the roof to contain the flames.
More than 80 firefighters and other first responders were involved in the response.
Students and Staff Safely Evacuated
A junior varsity volleyball team was practicing in the gym when the fire began. According to the Diocese of St. Petersburg, the students were able to safely leave the building.
No injuries were reported among students, faculty, staff or first responders.
School officials said all students and faculty were safe, while parents were directed to pick up their children as firefighters worked to control the fire.
Damage Appears Concentrated Around the Gym
The fire caused significant damage to the gymnasium, particularly around the roof. Officials also reported smoke and water damage inside portions of the building.
Firefighters attacked the blaze from multiple positions in an effort to prevent the fire from spreading and limit damage to the rest of the campus.
The full extent of the damage is still being assessed, and crews remained on scene to ensure the fire was completely extinguished.
Lightning Believed to Have Started the Fire
School officials said a lightning strike is believed to have caused the fire. Severe weather was moving through the area around the time of the incident.
While lightning is considered the likely cause, officials continued investigating the circumstances surrounding the fire.
Impact Extends to Local Volleyball Schedule
The damage to St. Petersburg Catholic’s gymnasium is also affecting scheduled athletic events.
Blessed Sacrament Catholic School had volleyball games scheduled at St. Petersburg Catholic, but those games had to be postponed following the fire and the resulting damage to the gym.
The postponement is one example of how the incident is affecting the broader local Catholic school athletic community, as schools work to adjust schedules and find alternative arrangements.
School Community Comes Together
The Diocese of St. Petersburg thanked firefighters and other first responders for their quick response and asked the community to pray for the St. Petersburg Catholic High School community and those who responded to the fire.
While the damage to the gymnasium will create challenges for the school in the days ahead, the most important news for families was that students and staff were able to safely evacuate and no injuries were reported.
School officials are continuing to assess the damage and determine how the incident will affect campus operations, athletics and scheduled events.