– Photo courtesy of CSF
The Community Schools of Frankfort announced that alongside the updates at Frankfort Middle School throughout the summer, the Frankfort High School press box has been under construction at the football field following an accidental fire on Halloween 2023.
According to the corporation, the press box project has been progressing smoothly with the floor joists being framed and sheeted and the exterior walls being completed as of Wednesday, July 19.
Reports of the initial Press Box Fire From Oct. 31, 2023:
Oct. 31 Report by Carl Gingerich:
The Frankfort Fire Department and Frankfort Police Department responded to reports of a fire at Frankfort High School Tuesday night.
According to police, the Frankfort High School press box on the football field caught fire late Tuesday evening, Oct. 31.
According to local artist Leah Kallner, the press box recently received new art of the Frankfort Hotdog that she painted in August.
Just before 10 p.m., the police department reported that the fire was almost extinguished. Investigators from the fire department are expected to conduct an investigation into the cause of the fire.
Nov. 1 Report by Ken Hartman:
A fire in the Frankfort High School football press box is still under investigation according to a statement from Frankfort Fire Department Chief Matt Stidham.
Firefighters responded to an active fire at the FHS football field at approximately 9:15 p.m. Tuesday. A passerby located nearly called in a report of a huge fire at the football field. Units arrived and quickly made access to the press box that was fully involved at the time firefighters arrived.
Units attacked the structure defensively and had the fire under control at 10:06 p.m.
No firefighters or citizens were injured.
Nov. 6 Report by Carl Gingerich:
The Frankfort Fire Department and the Community Schools of Frankfort released a joint press release Monday evening ruling the press box fire on the Frankfort High School football field on Oct. 31 as “accidental.”
On Oct. 31, just after 9 p.m., the Frankfort Fire Department reportedly responded to a report of a fire in the press box on the Frankfort High School football field that was located and reported by a passerby. The structure was extinguished just after 10 p.m. with no firefighters or citizens being injured, authorities report.
According Dr. Matt Rhoda, Frankfort Schools Superintendent, and Matt Stidham, Frankfort Fire Chief, the fire was officially determined to be an accidental fire that was caused by an electrical issue. The departments stated that an investigation was conducted by the Frankfort Fire Department and the New England Fire Cause and Origin Insurance Investigators, known as NEFCO. NEFCO investigates the causes of fires through laboratories in Florida, New Jersey, New York, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Indianapolis.
According to the release, the Community Schools of Frankfort will be permitted to demolish the damaged press box and construct a new facility as a result of the ruling. The release reads, “the Community Schools of Frankfort is committed to providing a safe experience for the Frankfort students, staff and community members when attending events at the football field.”
The release continued to thank the fire department and NEFCO for deriving the cause of the fire within a week.
“We are thankful for the firefighters’ quick response in handling the fire and that no one was harmed,” the release reads. “Additional thanks to the Frankfort Fire Department, NEFCO and the community for their support and patience as we have responded to this matter.”
A few community members took to social media with a request for the school to maintain the recently-painted Hot Dog located on the back of the press box that was painted by local artist Leah Kallner, who stated that she painted the mascot in August.