State fire marshal’s office offers initial findings on Old Gaston School gym fire

RUSK COUNTY, Texas (KLTV) - The state fire marshal’s office has reported its initial findings on what caused a fire that destroyed the gymnasium at the Old Gaston School in Rusk County.

The state fire marshal’s office has ruled the cause of the fire as undetermined, according to Patrick Dooley, deputy emergency management coordinator for the Rusk County Office of Emergency Management.

In Sept. 2021, firefighters received a call about a structure fire at the Gaston School off of State Highway 64 west of Henderson. By the time fire crews extinguished the flames, the gym was a total loss. Other buildings in the area were largely spared of any significant damage.

The fire is the first of two fires to break out at the Old Gaston School property in 5 months. Dooley said the state fire marshal’s office is also assisting in investigating a second fire that broke out in the cafeteria building in Jan. 2022.

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