Fire at Longmeadow HS construction site

LONGMEADOW, Mass. (WWLP) - A fire shut down construction at the new Longmeadow High School site for a couple hours Wednesday.

Captain Andrew Fraser of the Longmeadow fire department told 22News the fire started in a stack of insulation on the second floor of the structure, which is currently only a little more than steel framing. It is not clear what sparked the fire.

Students at the current high school did not have to be evacuated and no injuries were reported. Still, the stack of smoke could be seen due to the material and flammability of the insulation. "Very flammable material, plastic, which is why it put out so much black smoke," said Captain Fraser.

Longmeadow High School Principal Larry Berte told 22News, "Students were informed that we had this fire on the roof, we were immediately contacted by the fire department and the construction manager to tell us that students were safe and that we were to stay safe and continue educational activities."

Berte said that the new school is still on schedule to open in February of 2013, and he does not expect this fire to delay construction.