Westwood Elementary Closed Through Next Week After Arson Fire

(KNSI) – An arson fire at Westwood Elementary School in St. Cloud is keeping hundreds of students out of the classroom, with the district shifting to remote learning while the building undergoes extensive cleanup.

The blaze broke out around 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 31st, at the school, located at 5800 Ridgewood Road. Firefighters contained the fire while staff evacuated all students to designated safe areas. All students were reunited with their families following the incident.

Between 90 and 100 professional cleaning staff are working full time to remove particulate matter throughout the building. Once cleaning is complete, air quality and safety testing must be conducted – a process that takes approximately 48 hours before the building can be reoccupied. The building remains closed to all students, staff, and families during that process.

Westwood Elementary will remain closed through next week, with a planned reopening on Monday, April 13th. There will be no school Monday, April 6th and Tuesday, April 7th, as teachers prepare for temporary remote instruction. Beginning midweek, students will receive a combination of online learning, hard copy instructional materials, and community-based learning opportunities. The district says additional details will be shared directly with families.

The district is partnering with the Boys & Girls Club of Central Minnesota to provide emergency childcare for Westwood families during the closure.

“We understand the disruption this causes for our students, families, and staff,” said Superintendent Laurie Putnam. “Our first priority is safety, and we are working with urgency and care to return students to Westwood as soon as possible.”

Investigators have determined the fire was intentionally set. The St. Cloud Fire Marshal and St. Cloud Police Department are conducting a joint investigation into the incident.

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to contact the St. Cloud Police Department at 320-251-1200, Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-255-1301, or online at www.tricountycrimestoppers.org.

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