A fire tore through a classroom at Vista Academy of Performing Arts on Sunday morning, sending heavy smoke billowing from the middle of campus before firefighters contained the blaze to a single room. No injuries were reported, and school officials say students and staff will be back in class Monday despite the damage.
The Vista Fire Department was called to the campus on North Santa Fe Avenue near East California Avenue shortly after 10 a.m. Sunday, according to CBS 8. Video from OnScene.TV showed thick smoke pouring from a classroom in the center of the campus as crews responded.
Firefighters quickly contained the fire to that one classroom and then worked to put out hotspots at the scene, according to Brendan Halle. The fire affected a classroom in the school's 200 wing, per Vista Unified School District Assistant Superintendent Shawn T. Loescher, who said the response was prompt and that safety precautions were put in place.
No Structural Damage, But Repairs Ahead
The district's statement described the fire as room-specific and non-structural, meaning the damage was contained rather than spreading into the building's broader framework. Even so, the 200 wing will be temporarily relocated while inspections and repairs are completed, Loescher said.
Vista Academy of Performing Arts will continue holding classes in temporary locations until the repair work wraps up, according to the same statement from Loescher. The district said there would be no disruption to the overall school day for students.
Investigators Still Working to Pin Down the Cause
What actually sparked the fire remains under investigation. The Vista Fire Department's investigative team is working to determine how the fire started, and separately, Sheriff's Bomb/Arson Detectives responded to the scene to determine the fire's origin and cause, according to a statement from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. That investigation is still ongoing, and no cause has been announced.
Despite the uncertainty over what started the blaze, the school was deemed safe and cleared for students and staff to return Monday, according to the district's statement. For a campus built around performing arts programming, the quick turnaround means classes resume with minimal interruption even as crews continue inspecting and repairing the damaged wing.
