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Kenilworth Elementary School opened on time Tuesday morning after a weekend fire damaged the cafeteria and two storage closets.
Fire investigators said the fire at the Bowie school, located on Kembridge Drive, was intentionally set. The fire started around 11 p.m. Sunday in an exterior storage closet that contained gym equipment, said Principal Chris Mills. It spread to a second storage closet that contained Parent Teacher Association supplies and to the cafeteria.
Damage to the building is estimated at $25,000, said Prince George's County Fire/EMS spokesman Mark Brady.
While roofers repaired a 15-foot by 4-foot section of damaged roof in the cafeteria Tuesday, students were served lunches in their classrooms.
"We are planning to feed them in their classrooms for the rest of the week," Mills said. "We're trying to minimize the impact. The only thing the kids realize is they aren't eating in the cafeteria."
Lunchroom monitor Helen Edwards helped to distribute sack lunches to classrooms with several other staff members. Because no one was allowed in the kitchen or cafeteria, she said the lunches were brought from nearby Benjamin Tasker Middle School. Children are encouraged to bring their lunches for the rest of the week but sack lunches, including sandwiches, will be available, Mills said.
The fire damaged the stage and floor inside the cafeteria and asbestos cleaning was required for the contained area, Mills said. From about 2 a.m. Monday morning to 7 p.m. that night he said cleaning crews went through the entire school to get rid of the black soot that coated the floors. He expects repairs to be complete by the beginning of next week, but several events have been rescheduled to the following week to be sure.
Mills recalled one prior break-in to the school several years ago when someone snuck in through an open roof hatch and stole an electric drill. He said the exterior closet where the fire started should have been locked.
An investigation into the fire is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Departments Arson Hot Line at 301-77-ARSON.
E-mail Andrea Noble at anoble@gazette.net.
