Choctaw County HS staff see scene of fire

BUTLER, Ala. (WALA) - A massive overnight fire Tuesday has destroyed much of Choctaw County High School in Butler, Ala.

The fire started in the west wing of the school overnight Tuesday and quickly spread, destroying over a dozen rooms, including classrooms, labs and offices.

Daylight revealed the extent of the damage and many of the teachers showed up to see what was left of their school.

“From last night and this morning, God is good,” said agricultural sciences teacher Phillip Lyles.  “That’s all I can say. God is good. That’s the main thing. Just like Ms. Long said, we still have the kids here. That’s the main thing. We still have the kids. Thank God it didn’t happen during school hours.”

Smoke was still rising from what’s left of the west wing of the school Wednesday morning as hot spots continued to smolder. Nearly a dozen fire departments responded to the fire Tuesday night to bring it under control.

ATF officers were assisting the State Fire Marshall in the investigation on Wednesday.

Photos: fire blazes at Choctaw County High School

Kim Mosely took pictures from behind the fire line. Her computer lab was destroyed by the blaze. The 28 computers she used to teach her students are gone.

Regina Long teaches social studies. She said her next lesson will be a lesson about life.

“We never foresee this type of thing, but life brings on challenges so we’ll use it as a teaching moment,” Long said. “We will all tighten up and do whatever we need to overcome it… to rebuild and to continue because, in life, it happens to homes, these type of burdens.”

The building can be replaced and no one was hurt, but students and teachers spend much of their life at school.

To them, it’s like a second home.

“This is your other family so it will be a rebuilding process, we know. And we’re just going to have to stick together and keep praying and we’ll make it through it,” Mosley said.

Choctaw County Schools Superintendent Sue Moore was out of town when the fire broke out, but quickly came home to meet with faculty.

She said they are in the process of putting a team together to make plans for the displaced students and teachers.

A representative from the State Board of Education was also on scene to help with contingency plans for the students.

As of Wednesday afternoon, no decision had been made as to where they will go.

“Give us this week to try and pool together to see what we…I know that we have some old schools that we might be able to use, you know that are community centers now,” Moore noted.  “We may look at some churches. We have two or three classrooms at the main office up here.  This elementary school right here has some,” she added.

Moore said she’s already declared a state of emergency in order to free up funds and begin taking action immediately.