A fire caused $700,000 in damage at this Bradenton elementary school

Feb. 12--BRADENTON -- An early-morning fire caused long-term problems at Manatee Elementary School, causing more than half a million dollars in smoke and water damage, according to the school district.

The Bradenton Fire Department responded to an alarm at Manatee Elementary in late November, just hours before the start of school. Firefighters joined campus security and approached a haze near the auditorium, according to an incident report.

"School security opened the office door and heavy smoke was seen," the report states. "Water flow could be heard and the floor was covered in water."

Fire sprinklers had extinguished the fire, which was reportedly caused by a two-way radio charger. It was the smoke and water that caused extensive damage to the school's administrative area, located in a historic 1920s building, according to Tuesday's school board agenda.

Repairs are expected to cost approximately $700,000, and the school district plans to rely on insurance after the $100,000 deductible.

Board members approved $86,750 for pre-construction services on Tuesday evening, allowing the project to move forward. The final plans and contracts will face another board approval in the future.

The administrative area includes a front office, a reception area and a clinic, along with the principal and assistant principal's office. All of the walls, ceiling tiles and floors suffered water damage, said Jane Dreger, the construction director for Manatee schools.

"The subfloor is wood, and you wouldn't want anything on that floor to stay wet for any length of time," she said.

She said workers immediately began tearing out damaged materials and relocating the affected students and employees, especially since the damage crept into several classrooms and hallways on the first floor.

The $700,000 budget includes design plans, permits, construction and testing, along with the replacement of furniture and other lost equipment. Dreger said she hopes to finish by mid-July.

Meanwhile, the district is polling all of its schools to find out which campuses are still using the radios and chargers that reportedly caused the fire at Manatee Elementary.

Todd Henson, the director of maintenance and operations, is planning to have a final count in the next week or two, according to district spokesman Mike Barber.

The maintenance director will then provide an estimate to replace all of the aging radios and chargers.

Manatee Elementary had another scare on Jan. 28, when a student burned a piece of paper and a crayon in one of the classrooms, according to an incident report.

"While en-route, dispatch advised the fire was out," it states.

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