By Brian Trompeter

This story has been updated.

MILFORD — The fire that devastated Lulu M. Ross Elementary School on Oct. 25 was accidental and started with the failure of a fluorescent light in a display case set into a wall, the state fire marshal said Thursday, Nov. 12.

During a press conference at the now-condemned school on Lovers Lane, John Rudd continued, “While this fire caused significant damage to the building, what it could not damage was the spirit and the resilience of the students, teachers and staff that have shown what it means to (be) ‘Ross Strong.’”

According to B. Scott Bullock, the assistant state fire marshal and chief of investigations, the Carlisle Fire Co. of Milford was notified about an alarm activation at Ross at 4:11 a.m. that Sunday.

Arriving units found heavy fire and smoke venting through the roof of the one-story building and subsequently activated second and third alarms, he added.

Multiple fire agencies from around the region responded to the blaze, which was extinguished at 7:39 a.m.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office promptly activated its Major Incident Response Team to conduct a “very complex and detailed” investigation of the fire, Bullock said.

It determined that the incident was accidental and began in a combustible display case with sliding-glass front doors in the Kent Hallway, he continued. Because the case was inset into a wall, its flammable top was open to the area above the ceiling, which contained exposed plumbing, HVAC, electrical, communication and security equipment.

Bullock said there were no fire or smoke detectors in this area, and the blaze burned for 17 minutes before the alarm system notified the fire department. The roof support structures were also combustible, which allowed flames to extend through the roof.

Therefore, the facility subsequently sustained heavy fire and water damage, he noted, adding that monetary losses are still being assessed.

“I’ve been doing this career for 27 years, and I know how much this one hurts to the students, the staff, the district personnel and the community because this is also my community,” Bullock said. “I not only attended this school, but my mother taught here for three decades as a fourth grade teacher. ... This is just the first chapter in what will be a remarkable recovery.”

Milford School District superintendent Travis Moorman also spoke Thursday, thanking the Food Bank of Delaware and the United Way for meals for Ross students in the five days they did not have classes following the fire.

He also expressed gratitude to the Milford Police Department and local businesses and churches for their support, plus credited district staff for moving Ross’ over 600 second, third and fourth graders to Milford Middle School in less than a week — a feat he called “nothing short of remarkable.”

The new arrangements, with a few scheduling tweaks, will remain in place at least until the academic year’s end, Moorman continued. Rebuilding the damaged site or constructing another will likely take at least two to three years, he said.

Moorman also pointed out that the district’s other schools are newer, in good shape and meet more modern building codes. Ross was built in 1957.

Chances are extremely slim that a school won’t be built or rebuilt on the Ross property because the district lacks land elsewhere. The parcel has plenty of room on its playground area where another structure could be erected, even before removal of the old one, he said.

Principal Kimberly Webb shared Thursday that students and staff are still grieving the loss of a place that gave them many memories, but there also have been reminders of how much good there is in the world.

“Our students have been our greatest reminder,” she said. “Their smiles, their laughter, their hugs and their love are seeing us through. Being together again, hearing their voices in the hallways and watching them learn and reconnect has given us hope and purpose.”

Webb thanked the district’s administrators and other schools for making adjustments to accommodate the displaced pupils.

“We recognize these sacrifices, and we hold deep gratitude and respect for every person who has helped make room for us,” she added.

Additionally, community support will assist with recovery, which Webb termed “the greatest comeback of all time.”

“Behind every donation is a child whose school day you are helping make brighter and a staff member you are helping equip to serve that child,” Webb said. “Years from now, I hope our students remember how fiercely they were loved, how many people stood beside them and how an entire community helped them to take their next steps.”