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Fire which gutted historic Ventura County high school gym prompts cancellation of classes for week

Santa Paul High School officials say their gym which was destroyed in a weekend fire was insured, but rebuilding could take years.
Ventura County Dire Department
Santa Paul High School officials say their gym which was destroyed in a weekend fire was insured, but rebuilding could take years.

School officials say while gym was insured, rebuilding will take years.

Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire which gutted a historic school gymnasium in Ventura County.

The huge blaze on Sunday destroyed Santa Paula High School’s Bryden Gym, which was built in the 1930’s. Classes at the school have been cancelled for the rest of the week.

Elizabeth Garcia is Santa Paula High School’s Principal. She says one of the big issues is what to do with things like basketball games scheduled for the gym.

They are planning to use the gym at the community’s middle school for some events, and will keep the away game schedule for sports teams.

Garcia says the gym was insured. But, the rebuilding process could take years.

There are plans to set up a fundraising campaign to help with the rebuilding process.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral.