A rooftop fire at New Miami Middle/High School in Hamilton sent a thick plume of smoke over the campus Friday, drawing a fast response from firefighters and leaving the school cafeteria with smoke and water damage while crews knocked down the flames. Officials say the cause is still under review.
District: HVAC unit under scrutiny, no injuries reported
In a statement on the New Miami Local Schools website, district officials said early information points to an HVAC unit on the roof as the suspected source of the fire. The cafeteria below took the brunt of the smoke and water, according to the district.
Administrators stressed that the building was empty at the time. No students, staff or community members were inside when the fire broke out, and no injuries have been reported. "At this time, our primary focus is the safety of our students, staff, and community," Superintendent Rhonda Parker said in the post.
Video shows firefighters on the roof as smoke billows
A clip published by Atlanta News First and shared across multiple station sites shows firefighters working on the school roof as a visible column of smoke rises. Those outlets report that the cause remains under investigation while local fire crews and district maintenance staff continue to check the scene. The footage offers the first public look at the emergency response as officials sort through what went wrong.
What families can expect next
The district says it is now working with fire officials, maintenance teams, and insurance representatives to tally the damage, begin cleanup, and map out repairs. Families will be alerted to any changes to school schedules, limits on building access, or other operational shifts as those details are finalized.
Officials thanked the responding fire departments for their quick work and reiterated that student safety will guide every decision as the investigation and recovery move forward.
