The Arrowsmith School building in Peterborough was devastated by a fire early Monday morning (July 14). Local resident David Horwood provided kawarthaNOW with photos of the fire and the resulting damage.
At around 2:19 a.m., Douro-Dummer Fire Services (DDFS) received a call for a structure fire at 366 Parkhill Road East, just east of the City of Peterborough.
The first arriving crew observed fire had spread through the second storey of the structure, and flames were visible above the roof.
Over 25 firefighters worked throughout the early hours of the morning to extinguish the initial fire, and into Monday afternoon fighting hotspots.
Peterborough County Ontario Provincial (OPP) closed Parkhill Road East between Leahy’s Lane and Kingsdale Drive while fire crews battled the blaze. A residence west of the structure was evacuated as a precaution, and the occupants were able to return to their home on Monday.
The Arrowsmith School building was not occupied at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire and the dollar loss to the property have yet to be determined.
“DDFS crews responded quickly and worked hard to bring the fire under control, and as a result the fire did not spread to nearby structures,” DDFS deputy fire chief Derrick Huffman said in a media release. “We are grateful for the time and effort that our firefighters dedicate to preparing for events like this.”
The Arrowsmith School is a private school in Toronto for children in Grades 1 to 12 with learning disabilities. The original Arrowsmith School was founded in Toronto in 1980 by Barbara Arrowsmith Young, and a second location was opened in May 2005 in Peterborough.
The school closed its Peterborough location in June 2021.
This story has been updated with information from a media release from Douro-Dummer Fire Services.
