ON SCENE–Pictured are members of the Red Bud Fire Department on scene at the May 5 fire at St. John the Baptist Catholic School. Photo courtesy of the Republic Times.
Around 2:51 a.m. on Sunday, May 5, the Red Bud Fire Department was called for a structure fire with heavy smoke at St. John the Baptist Catholic School.
Fire Chief Sean Landgraf noted that the fire was located in the southwest corner of the building.
“The fire was contained to the one classroom, but the smoke spread throughout the school. Positive pressure fans were used to ventilate the building,” Landgraf said. “It appeared something plugged into a power strip probably started the fire.”
For more on this incident, please see this week’s print edition.