Concord Fire Department Responds to Fire at Thoreau Elementary School

CONCORD — Fire Chief Brian Whitney and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Laurie Hunter report that emergency crews responded to a fire at the Thoreau Elementary School in Concord on Monday evening.

The Thoreau School will be closed on Tuesday. Further updates will be provided to families and staff on Tuesday. 

The Concord Fire and Police Departments responded to the school, located at 29 Prairie St., at 9:15 p.m. Monday after dispatch received a report of an activated fire alarm and sprinkler flow alarm. Upon arrival, the first arriving fire crews reported an odor of smoke from the outside. Firefighters were met by two night custodians who reported a hazy smoke condition in the school. Crews found a small fire in the ceiling of a classroom wing of the school. The fire had been largely knocked down and kept from spreading thanks to the properly-working sprinkler system, and firefighters were able to get to the fire quickly and extinguish it.

There was no structural damage to the school, however there was significant smoke throughout the building, especially the 1994-era classroom wing, as well as water damage and fire damage to the immediate affected area. Crews remained on scene Monday evening to ventilate the building and ensure the fire was fully extinguished. 

The origin and cause of the fire are under investigation by the Concord Fire Department. The Massachusetts State Fire Marshal’s Office was also notified. The fire did not immediately appear to be suspicious.

Mutual aid was provided at the scene by fire crews from Acton, Bedford and Maynard. Station coverage was provided by the Sudbury and Wayland Fire Departments.

No one was injured.

Named for Henry David Thoreau, Thoreau Elementary School is a  Pre-K to Grade 5 school serving about 435 students. The building opened in 1951, with a newer wing added in 1994 and major renovations and modernizations completed in 2006. 

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