St. Pete High auditorium repaired after fire

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The auditorium at St. Petersburg High School is open for business almost six months after a fire swept through the building.

The Tampa Bay Times (http://bit.ly/WdKqC8 ) reports the Pinellas County School District spent about $350,000 to repair the damage caused by the Aug. 31 fire.

Officials say it was caused by a hot torch left by a roof company that was working on the auditorium. The school district's insurance covered most of the damage. But the newspaper reports officials are seeking compensation from the roofing company.

The auditorium has been open since December, but small repairs are still being completed.

Drama teacher Trish Grunz says most of the little details should be fixed by the time the students stage "Little Mary Sunshine" in March.

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Information from: Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.), http://www.tampabay.com.