Fort Myers High gym roof fire raises safety questions, repairs ongoing

Reporter: Annette Montgomery
Published: Updated:

A fire broke out on the roof of Fort Myers High School’s gymnasium, causing concern among parents and students.

The incident occurred around 7 p.m. Tuesday evening during ongoing roof work, but fortunately, no students or staff were present at the time.

The school board chair, Sam Fisher, expressed relief over the situation, stating that it could have been much worse. He confirmed that firefighters extinguished the blaze in just 11 minutes, and the construction project is still ongoing.

“Thankfully, no students or staff were in the building at the time,” said Fisher.

Parents received a voicemail informing them of the fire, which was linked to roof work carried out earlier that day.

Students and staff have had to adjust as physical education and health classes are temporarily relocated.

“We hear the bangs while they’re working on the roof,” said Samuel Salamanca, a Fort Myers High School student.

Advanced Roofing and Sheet Metal, the contractor responsible for the roof work, declined to comment on the investigation. However, parents like Kim Kology voiced concerns about the materials used on the roof.

“What kind of, you know, materials were up there that could ignite?” said Kology. “Are they still there? Are they going to remove them completely? I mean, hopefully, they will have some follow-up.”

Despite the disruption, parents appreciated the swift response from the fire crews.

“That’s amazing. I’m so happy to hear that it was put out that quickly,” said Kology.

Students like Ezra Coy are adjusting to the temporary relocation of classes, and there is no timeline for when repairs will be completed.

“We just sat and waited until 2nd period,” said Coy.

Fort Myers Fire Chief Tracy McMillion explained that roofs like the one at the gym contain tar and other flammable components.

The school district assured that students will only return to the gym when it is deemed safe.

The school community remains hopeful for a swift resolution, with safety as the top priority.

Copyright ©2025 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.