Fire Destroys Historical L.A. High School Auditorium

LOS ANGELES – A fire broke out May 20 at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, damaging some classrooms and destroying the 1,500-seat auditorium.

The fire began just after 7:30 a.m. and took approximately 100 firefighters to douse. Total damage is estimated to be about $30 million. No injuries resulted from the blaze.

Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire. They are paying particular attention to a “point of interest” inside the auditorium. Officials have said they believe the blaze to be suspicious in origin, although they haven’t declared it an arson.

The school was made famous by the film “Stand and Deliver,” which featured the story of math teacher Jaime Escalante. The auditorium was built in 1925 and was considered a historical landmark.

Classes were cancelled May 21.

If you appreciated this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!

Leading in Turbulent Times: Effective Campus Public Safety Leadership for the 21st Century

This new webcast will discuss how campus public safety leaders can effectively incorporate Clery Act, Title IX, customer service, “helicopter” parents, emergency notification, town-gown relationships, brand management, Greek Life, student recruitment, faculty, and more into their roles and develop the necessary skills to successfully lead their departments. Register today to attend this free webcast!

Get Our Newsletters
Campus Safety Conference promo