MILFORD – The Milford School District is assessing damage and considering options for Lulu M. Ross Elementary following a fire that caused extensive damage early Sunday.

The district, in a news release early Sunday afternoon, said first responders have cleared the site. Investigators remain on-site working to determine the cause of the fire.

The school announced that there will be no school for Ross elementary students this week, Oct. 26-30. Additionally, the district has indicated that neighboring Mispillion Elementary will be closed on Monday after finding fiber optic lines had been damaged.

 “It is with a heavy heart I share what many of you may have heard by now that Lulu Ross Elementary caught fire early this morning,” wrote Milford Superintendent Travis Moorman.

An alarm sounded at about 4:15 a.m.

The Carlisle Fire Company of Milford and crews Houston and  Memorial Fire Company responded. Crews from Ellendale,  Harrington, Frederica, Greenwood, Farmington, Felton, South Bowers, Georgetown, Little Creek and paramedics from Kent and Sussex counties were also called to the scene.

The school district said fire caused significant damage to a large portion of the main lobby, library, front offices and several classrooms in both main hallways at the center of the school.

“Our district crisis team will be meeting this morning to begin planning our short-term and long-term responses, including what teaching and learning will look like for the staff and students of Ross,” Moorman said.

“We will provide our families and community members with more details as they become available.

“I know there will be a lot of questions, and we will work diligently to provide answers as we learn more throughout the day and beyond. I ask our community to keep our students, parents, and employees of Lulu Ross in your thoughts and prayers as there will be difficult times ahead as we come to the realization of how significant this truly is.

“Thank you to those who have already reached out with support and offers for help, and thank you to our first responders for their work on the scene this morning, many putting their own lives in danger ... the strength of our Milford Community is second to none, and I know we will have the support needed to get through this together.”

The district posted news about Mispillion's closing about 5 p.m. Sunday. In a statement, the district said, "We have been in contact with state agencies who are sending service crews to the campus to start repair work in hopes that fiber optic service is restored as soon as possible. We anticipate work on this to begin this evening and continue into tomorrow. There will be no in-person or remote learning for Mispillion Elementary students at this time."

Around 6 p.m. Sunday night, fire crews returned to Ross for another alarm. It is unknown what the nature of the call was.

Ross Elementary School, which includes grades one through five, opened in 1957.

There are 34 classrooms in the school for approximately 625 students.

The school was named in honor of Lulu M. Ross, a first grade teacher who taught in the Milford School District for 50 years (1898-1950).