Tulsa firefighters continue to battle a blaze Wednesday morning at former Barnard Elementary school building near 17th Street and Lewis Avenue.
Lewis Avenue is closed between 16th and 19th streets.
The Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences leased the Barnard building this year to move its charter school there.
Tulsa Fire Department reports that eight firefighters have been sent to area hospitals. None of the injuries was considered life-threatening.
Ten crews were on the scene with 60 fire personnel.
Part of the roof has reportedly collapsed, and most of the building has been damaged.
At this time a cause for the fire is unknown. A fire investigator is interviewing people in the area as firefighters continue an external attack on the fire.
Crews were forced to pull out of the school after explosions inside the building.
"They were sizable enough (firefighters) were worried about the structure" and personnel, said Stan May, the Tulsa Fire Department's public information officer.
He said several explosions reportedly occurred in an area where a chemistry class was located.
The building was not used by TPS during the 2011-12 school year after Barnard Elementary School was closed as part of Project Schoolhouse, an efficiency initiative by Tulsa Public Schools.
Earlier this summer, the Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences leased the facility and completed some interior renovations in time for classes to begin there in August.
Arts and Sciences is a charter high school of about 300 students sponsored by TPS. During its first 10 years of operation, it was housed in leased space in an office park near 51st Street and Yale Avenue.
By 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, classes had been canceled for the day.
School director Eric Doss said Tulsa Superintendent Keith Ballard had offered assistance.
Arts and Sciences administrators, teachers and students are meeting at All Souls Unitarian Church, 2952 S. Peoria, for a "reorientation meeting," said English teacher Daniel Hahn.
TPS director of information Chris Payne confirmed Arts and Sciences will hold classes at the former Sequoyah Elementary facility at 3441 E. Archer St. starting Thursday.
That building was vacated this summer when Sequoyah moved into another school building as part of a second round of Project Schoolhouse.
Of possible causes, Doss said there was still a small construction project under way inside the facility, but workers had left building Tuesday evening and were not on site at the time the fire began.
Students and families gathered outside the school as the fire continued to rage Wednesday morning.
Principal Liesa Smith asked her students to be brave and creative in facing the task of rebuilding. She said she wants them to feel that they can have a part in the effort and encourages them to "hold on to hope."
"It was like a new start," said senior Kaze Mauser, who watched with friends as fire crews doused the building.
Ballard said the district is greatly saddened by the fire and its devastating impact on Arts and Sciences.
"They are a charter school partner with Tulsa Public Schools, and we are committed to helping them recover from the tragic loss of this facility," Ballard said in a statement.
Ballard extended the district's thoughts and prayers to the injured and their families.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
