Early Morning Fire at Mt. View High School

By: JoAnn Garner

Monday morning at approximately 2:30 am a fire started at Mountain High School on Gilman Road in El Monte, that burned over four hours before the Los Angeles County Fire department was able to extinguish the final flames at around 6:30 am.   The blaze could be seen for miles and the intensity of the flames caused the El Monte Police Department to assist in evacuating several families whose home were considered in harms way.

Mountain View High School, a member school of the  El Monte Union High School District,   sustained major damage to the campus as the entire  Gymnasium, cafeteria, school kitchen, Associated Student Body  Office, and Activities office  were destroyed.

Superintendent Nick Salerno when interviewed at the site stated, ” Fortunately the fire occurred when students and staff were not on campus and I am so grateful to stand in front of you and say no one was hurt or injured in the fire. “  Superintendent  Salerno was interviewed by the Mid Valley news staff in the afternoon following the fire and  he was still at the site working with the school staff  to prepare for the school opening the next day.  “The Mountain  View School Staff is working around the clock to have the school open for tomorrow morning.  No classrooms were damaged and  meals will be on campus on Tuesday” he said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation  by the county Fire Department personnel .  The estimated damages to the high school is in the millions of dollars.