Fire at Johnson High School in Buda prompts early dismissal

BUDA, Texas - A small fire on the Johnson High School campus in Buda forced school officials to dismiss school early. The fire happened around 10 a.m. and officials say it appears to have started in a dryer in the athletics wing laundry room. The investigation into the cause of the fire is still underway.

Officials say the fire was contained in the laundry room, but heavy smoke permeated throughout much of the building. Additionally, the fire sprinkler system activated in the athletic wing, leaving a large amount of water throughout the area.

The building was quickly evacuated, officials say, and because of that many students and staff left some personal belongings in the building. Officials say the building site is secure, and the district is working with emergency personnel to address whether anyone will be allowed to return to the building today to retrieve personal belongings. The district says it will announce plans for retrieving personal belongings later this afternoon, once options have been considered.

During the evacuation and subsequent early release, parents were informed via email, text message, the district’s smartphone app, and a phone call using the district’s automated parent alert system.

District custodial and maintenance crews, as well as the district’s contracted disaster recovery company, will be working throughout the rest of the day to restore the building. The district says it hopes to be able to return to a normal class schedule for Johnson High School on Friday, March 25, 2022, but it will depend on the progress of the cleanup effort. 

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