Kealing Middle School cancels classes for remainder of the week

AUSTIN, Texas - Classes will be canceled for the rest of the week at Kealing Middle School due to a fire late Monday night.

Austin ISD said due to the significant damage to the HVAC ductwork, classes will be canceled for the remainder of the week.

The official first day of school for Kealing Middle School will be Monday, August 26, with a normal schedule.

RELATED: Kealing Middle School cancels classes for second day after fire

Austin ISD said the school will not have to add school days to the calendar. The school applied for a waiver for the lost learning time. Depending on if the TEA grants it, the district may have to extend the school day by a few minutes for the remainder of the year.

What happened at Kealing Middle School?

The Austin Independent School District says late Monday night, the Austin Fire Department responded to a fire on the second floor of the school. 

The fire was quickly contained and crews immediately began to air out the school with fans and repair the damage caused by the fire and sprinklers.

Officials say it appears that the fire was related to an overloaded outlet in a classroom and the fire department does not suspect arson.

Kealing Middle School was included in the 2022 bond improvements. The campus was undergoing HVAC electrical and plumbing improvements.

This is not the first time Kealing experienced an electrical fire during a break. 

In December 2022, firefighters responded to a fire in the teachers' lounge where AFD said a fridge was the source of the fire.