New details have been released about the cause of the Stewart Valley School fire.
The City of Swift Current Fire Department and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) have been working together on investigating the cause of the Stewart Valley School fire that occurred on August 26, 2022.
Investigators have determined the fire was caused by a bolt of lightning striking the area adjacent to the east school entrance. The thunderbolt set fire to roof insulation, lighting up an inaccessible space between the interior ceiling and the roof.
Samples were collected from the scene of the blaze for testing at an off-site centre. Analysis was done by SPSA Provincial Fire Inspector Fraser.
On the day of the fire, the Stewart Valley area experienced over 1,700 lightning strikes in the area. Only the one managed to make contact with the school.