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.
