ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / December 9, 2000

RESERVE – It took 25 firefighters from the Reserve and Garyville volunteer fire departments to extinguish a fire that damaged an equipment locker room in the gym at Leon Godchaux Junior High School early Tuesday morning.

The fire, which is still under investigation, set off an alarm around 4 a.m. St.John the Baptist Sheriff deputies responded to the call, and upon seeing smoke and flames coming from the school gym called in firefighters.

No one was injured in the blaze, and the fire was contained to the equipment room, which sustained major smoke and water damage. The room was usedto store equipment for the school’s football team.

The gym, which is old and all wood, didn’t suffer any damage except for some water on the floor.

Chief Glenn Bourg of the Reserve Volunteer Fire Department said it was lucky deputies called them in when they did. “We caught the fire just in time,”said Bourg.

Even though the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office has not completed its investigation and report into the fire, Bourg said they suspect the fire was caused by an electrical short or bad wiring.

“This was not arson,” said Bourg. “There was a big window fan in the room,and we are leaning toward a possible electrical fire.”School Superintendent Chris Donaldson, who was at the scene of the fire, said he had not received an estimate of the damage done to the locker room.

Lydia Bazile, principal at Leon Godchaux Junior High, said that until insurance adjusters and a clean-up crew have finished at the gym physical education classes are being held in regular classrooms in the main building of the school.

“Nobody is dressing out right now,” said Bazile. “This won’t impede theinstructional aspect of the P.E. classes, just the physical part.”Bazile said that while the gym is closed students will be learning rules and regulations of games, character development and other subjects in P.E.classes.

“This came at a pretty good time,” said Bazile. “The students can use thetime to study for their nine-week exams.”

Return To News Stories