Mayor John Whitmire spent Sunday evening, July 26, 2026, walking through the charred shell of the historic Harper School, less than 24 hours after a fire damaged the Sixth Ward landmark. Joined by Houston Fire Chief Thomas Muñoz and the property owner, Whitmire watched as crews started a preliminary damage assessment and said the city would partner with the owner to save whatever pieces of the building they can, especially given its ties to the neighborhood's Black history.
In a brief post shared by the Houston Mayor's Office, Whitmire said he had "visited the site with Fire Chief Thomas Muñoz and the property owner" and that they "will work together to preserve anything salvageable so this important piece of Houston's Black history is not lost." The statement underscored his commitment to the site but did not offer additional information about how extensive the damage is or whether anyone was hurt.
Damage Assessment And Investigation
Fire Chief Thomas Muñoz, who leads the Houston Fire Department and oversees its response to major incidents, accompanied the mayor during the walkthrough. His responsibilities and role with the department are outlined on the HFD website. The Houston Fire Marshal's Office, which is responsible for origin and cause work and handles arson investigations, will take point on determining how the blaze started. Contact details for reporting arson tips or requesting investigation information are listed through HFD's Fire Marshal Office.
Why The School Matters
Harper School is more than just another old building for the Sixth Ward. Local histories describe Francis Harper School as a key early community hub where neighborhood institutions and meetings took shape. Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church cites Harper School in its account of the neighborhood's development and community life. The property is also tied to the wider Freedmen's Town historic landscape, which is recognized through state and federal preservation programs. Among those listings, The National Park Service includes Freedmen's Town as one of Texas's notable historic districts.
What’s Next
City officials and the property owner say their next steps focus on what, if anything, can be saved. They plan to look for artifacts, documents, or distinctive architectural pieces that might be recoverable while engineers and Houston Fire Department inspectors work to stabilize the structure and evaluate any safety risks. If the building can be shored up or repaired, the owner will need to obtain permits and sign-offs before restoration or recovery work begins. If it cannot be safely stabilized, officials may have to consider demolition or more extensive intervention. For questions about how the fire started or whether arson is suspected, investigators with the Fire Marshal's Office remain the primary point of contact, and both the mayor's office and HFD have said they will share more information as the assessment moves forward.
