Kealing Middle School closed Tuesday after overnight fire damages East Austin campus

Kealing Middle School students will have to delay their first day of class until at least Wednesday after an apparent electrical fire broke out on the campus’ second floor Monday night, the Austin school district announced early Tuesday morning. The school will be closed Tuesday for repairs.

“The fire was quickly contained and crews immediately began to air out the school with fans and repair the damage caused by the fire and sprinklers,” the district said in a statement just after 2 a.m.

The Austin Fire Department posted on X at 10:40 p.m. Monday that it was responding to a structure fire at Kealing Middle School "with smoke on the second floor with electrical burning smell."

The department followed up with a social media post around 12:31 a.m. Tuesday, saying the blaze had been extinguished, though fire investigators would remain on scene to conduct an investigation into the fire's cause.

The district said in its statement that the fire appears to have been caused by an overloaded outlet in a classroom and the Fire Department does not suspect arson.

“We are grateful the building was empty and no one was harmed,” the district said.

Tuesday is the Austin district’s first day back to school for the 2024-25 school year.

“We are hopeful we can welcome students back on Wednesday, Aug. 21 but we will provide an update to families when we have more information Tuesday afternoon,” the district said.

Students who need to be on campus will be allowed in the gym and cafeteria, and bagged lunches will be available for pick up between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at the back of the campus off Salina Street near the gym foyer, the district said.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Kealing Middle School closed Tuesday after overnight fire damages East Austin campus