Surrey Schools says it is working to return students to classrooms as soon as possible following a fire at Woodland Park Elementary, but that the school will certainly be closed Tuesday.

Fire services responded to the school around 11:30 p.m. Jan. 30 to find a fire that stated in a storage room.

Sixteen firefighters were on scene and the fire was contained to the storage closet, Surrey Fire Services (SFS) assistant chief Mike McNamara told 1130 NewsRadio. But sprinklers went off across the school that may have caused water damage.

Superintendent Mark Pearmain told 1130 NewsRadio in a statement that educational continuity for students would resume Wednesday, saying further details will be shared with parents this evening.

“This is a tough time for the school community,” he said. “The district will replace damaged and destroyed district property and library materials and will work closely with staff to restore safe and welcoming learning spaces.”

Melanie Cheng, chair of the Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council, told 1130 NewsRadio she resonates with the parents and students after facing a similar situation at her home school, Carleton Elementary, in 2016.

“I really empathize with the Woodland Park Elementary community,” she said. “It is a significant problem when schools are suddenly no longer able to be used for unforeseen circumstances and parents have to scramble.”

What Cheng hopes to see is fast action on repairs so students can return to their normal learning environment.

“Student spaces are high in demand and we can’t afford to lose safe and accessible schools due to fire damage,” she said.

In the case of Carleton Elementary, it has been nine years and Cheng said that while students returned to the classrooms, not all repairs were made.

Another fire occurred at Hazel Trembath Elementary School in 2023. In that instance, Cheng said it took two years for the school to get funding for repairs.

“I want to see the districts work together with the province to expedite the process of repairing school facilities after fire damage,” she said.

In an email statement to CityNews, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Infrastructure said the Surrey School District will make decisions about next steps as they work with fire officials to ensure the site is safe.

“Any capital costs related to immediate safety measures, site security, and student transportation will be supported by the Ministry while further work is underway to determine the full scope of damage,” they said.

The Surrey Police Service has confirmed that the fire is not believed to be suspicious.

– With files from Raynaldo Suarez