ATLANTIC CITY - Crews are at the scene of a fire that broke out at the New Jersey Avenue School in Atlantic City Friday.
What we know
According to reports, the fire started around 6:00 p.m. at the school located on the Unit block of North New Jersey Avenue.
In a post to Facebook, Atlantic City Professional Firefighters NJ FMBA Local 8 advises people to avoid the area.
According to officials, the building was unoccupied at the time of the fire.
Residents may notice discoloration in their water at home due to the ongoing firefighter activities, officials say.
What you can do
According to the Atlantic City Municipal Utilities Authority, if you notice any discoloration, run your water until it clears.
Once firefighting operations have ended, if the water does not clear after a reasonable period, please contact the utlities authority for assistance.
The backstory
In a July press release, Atlantic City Public Schools noted the New Jersey Avenue School had been closed for over a decade.
"The building originally shut its doors in 2012 when Pennsylvania Avenue School opened. Later that same year, the vacant structure was severely damaged by flooding during Hurricane Sandy, leaving it unusable," said the press release.
The school district has been preparing to demolish the school building to create a new administration building.
"We have committed to building an administration building," said Atlantic City Board of Education President Shay Steele. "This board, in conjunction with the leadership of Dr. Small has made building an administration building a priority. We are excited to fulfill the wishes of the community and also provide the district with a building of its own. This has been part of our mission and upon completion we will have a state-of-the-art administration building."
What we don't know
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Check back for more updates,
The Source
The information in this story is from Atlantic City firefighters and Atlantic City Public Schools.
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