Without a passerby reporting to the Door County Sheriff's Department and the help from eleven different agencies, Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Chief Andy Bertges says Monday's blaze could have been a lot worse. The fire department received the call about the fire at Gibraltar Elementary School just before 5 a.m. after reports were made about flames coming from the roof. It is suspected snow slid down the roof and hit a propane line connected to the school's rooftop heating and cooling unit, causing it to rupture. The fire was contained to just the unit itself by around 5:30 a.m. and Bertges was happy for all the help to make sure it did not get worse.

 

Even though the school day was canceled, Gibraltar kept its after school schedule virtually intact. Bertges says since the fire was contained to the heating and cooling unit and did not harm the roof that he expects school could be back in session for Tuesday.

 

Photo courtesy of Door County Sheriff's Department