Blaze Damages Old Oxnard High School

A fire at the former Oxnard High School campus burned an unoccupied classroom Tuesday afternoon before firefighters doused the flames.

The facility, at 937 W. 5th St., has not been used as a school since 1995, when a new high school was built on Gonzales Road.

Although the cause of the fire is unknown, Oxnard Battalion Chief Clarence Slayton said it looked suspicious because the classroom was locked but a window had been broken.

The fire started inside the classroom about 5:45 p.m. and spread upward, burning the ceiling and causing $20,000 in damage to the structure.

An additional $5,000 in damage was reported to the contents of the room.

Although no one was injured in the 20-minute blaze, firefighter Brian Mahoney twisted his knee battling the fire.

“He was on the initial attack line and was going through the debris in the classroom,” Slayton said.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing.