CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — Schools in the St. Stephens feeder area of Catawba County Schools closed for hours Tuesday due to a nearby fire that led to "extensive power outages."
The incident also led to the closure of a stretch of Springs Road, from Kool Park Road to Section House Road.
Duke Energy initially said the outage was caused by a car accident involving a fire, but later confirmed the Duke Energy lines were damaged by a fire at an abandoned structure in the area. The Catawba County Fire Marshals Office said the house fire happened around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
Crews was expected to restore power by 8 p.m. Tuesday but were able to restore it much sooner than that. Nearly 2,500 people have experienced an outage because of the damage.
This specifically impacted St. Stephens High School, Arndt Middle School, St. Stephens Elementary, Snow Creek Elementary, Clyde Campbell Elementary and Webb A. Murray Elementary, according to the district.
"We understand the inconvenience this may cause, and we assure you that updates will be provided promptly as we assess the situation," the district said, in part, in a message to families. "Please note that staff members who are able to work from home are encouraged to do so."
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