Lessons were canceled after an early morning fire at a charter school in Calgary

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The Calgary Police Department’s arson department is investigating the suspicious fire

The Dr. Norman Bethune School in Acadia was damaged after an early morning fire on Monday, May 9, 2022. The school is home to the Academy of Foundations for the Future. Gavin Young / postmedia Gavin Young / postmedia

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The Calgary Police Department’s arson department is investigating the cause of a suspicious fire early in the morning at a high school in southeastern Calgary that closed the school by the end of the year.

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The teams responded to the south campus of the Foundations for the Future Charter Academy, Dr. Norman Bethune, on 86th Avenue SE in Acadia shortly after 2 a.m. Monday.

Officials say the fire started outside the warehouse building and the damage was largely contained on the exterior, although some smoke has entered the school. No casualties were reported.

School Board Chairman Jeff Wilson said school security cameras filmed an individual lighting a fire near the school early Monday morning. These footage was shared with police and fire investigators.

Calgary police told Postmedia that the fire was considered suspicious and the arson department has taken over the investigation. Officers are reviewing security camera footage, but forces say it remains unclear whether the fire was set on purpose or by accident.

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Dr. Norman Bethune’s school in Acadia was damaged by fire early this morning. Gavin Young / Postmedia

“The damage to the interior and exterior of the building is great and will be unusable until the end of the year. “Until the Calgary Fire and Calgary Police investigation is complete, we will not be able to assess the long-term usability of the building,” Wilson said.

Wilson said the school is working to transfer its approximately 500 students and dozens of staff members to online classes in the near future, but the school is working with the Provincial Department of Education, the Calgary Board of Education and the Calgary Catholic School Council to find information . opportunities for students to complete the year.

“Our students and staff had to deal with so many difficulties during the pandemic, and just building on it after two very long two years is very, very challenging,” Wilson said.

The building is currently rented to the public charter school by the Calgary Board of Education.

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FFCA South High School will be closed today, May 9, 2022, due to an external fire on campus. We will contact you before the end of the day with more information.

– FFCA Southern High School (@ffca_SHS) May 9, 2022

mrodriguez@postmedia.com

Twitter: @michaelrdrguez