WHITE SETTLEMENT, Texas — A fire was stopped at a White Settlement elementary school this afternoon after a principal risked his own safety to put it out.
The fire occurred at Liberty Elementary in White Settlement. A statement from White Settlement ISD said the fire was started at about 12:30 p.m. in a restroom.
Liberty Elementary teacher Kelsie Foster said the fire was started when toilet paper was lit on fire, and before the fire department could arrive, Liberty Elementary Principal Michael Dickinson went into the restroom to stop the fire himself.
“The flames were high and there was smoke bellowing out and coming through and he put out the fire bravely and everyone was evacuated,” Foster said. “No one was hurt except for him.”
The statement added that students were dismissed early due to smoke in the building and that school would resume as normal on Wednesday.
Dickinson was taken to the hospital following the extinguishing of the fire to be treated for smoke inhalation, the statement detailed, and has been released. He will be resting at home for the next three days.
“He was so brave, and he deserves to be recognized for the bravery he exhibited,” Foster said.
There was very minimal damage to the school, Foster said, and the fire department and maintenance workers got to the building to begin work immediately.
