A wooden structure used for classrooms near the former West Orange Cove Intermediate School, burned Thursday night.
West Orange Fire Chief David Roberts said firefighters were at the site of the former Baptist Hospital putting a burn victim in a helicopter when they got the call of a trash fire in the city. Firefighters broke away with a truck and headed to Austin Street where they found more than a trash fire. The building was fully engulfed.
Roberts said they immediately called for mutual aid not knowing the severity as well as the size of the old school. Orange, ESD 4, Little Cypress and Bridge City, along with Acadian came to the scene. As the fire continued to grow and get close to the larger structure, Roberts said OFD came in from the front of the school and was able to clear from that side and contain the fire to just the wooden structure.
Chief added that there was no electricity to the building and there will be an investigation. He said a caller stated there may have been a grass fire in the ditch that spread to the building.
As for the burn victim, Roberts said they were dispatched earlier in the night to the Whispering Pines Apartments on Western Ave. for a young female who had suffered severe burns to her chest. The Chief said they were told she may have accidentally pulled down a pot of hot water on her. He said the child was air lifted to Shriners Hospital in Galveston.
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