FITZWILLIAM, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office has determined that the fire at Emerson Elementary School in Fitzwilliam on Feb. 21 was caused by the use of an open flame propane torch on the school’s combustible wooden roof.

According to the fire investigation report released March 12, the blaze originated in the attic space where the existing roof met a newly constructed addition on the northeast side of the building. Witnesses reported an unusual odor in the area earlier in the day, and an officer arriving on the scene first noticed smoke coming from that part of the structure.

Investigators concluded that workers had used a propane torch to melt ice and snow from the roof earlier that day, and though the plywood did not immediately ignite, embers likely entered the attic space and smoldered for hours within the cellulose insulation before igniting the structure. The fire was officially ruled accidental.

The fire was first reported around 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 21 and was brought under control by 10 p.m. Crews from multiple surrounding towns assisted Fitzwilliam firefighters in extinguishing the blaze. The building was unoccupied at the time, and no injuries were reported.

Superintendent Jeremy Rathbun of the Monadnock Regional School District said previously that the fire caused damage to the school’s roof and affected the offices and library below, though it did not reach classrooms. Water damage rendered the office and library spaces unusable, but there was no structural damage to the building. Repairs include new floors, ceilings, and drywall in the affected areas.

Students returned to Emerson Elementary on March 5 following an extended closure due to water cleanup and inspections of the building’s emergency alert systems. The school was originally scheduled to reopen on March 3 but required additional recovery time after extensive water use by cleaning crews.

The district had noted in its preliminary statements that roofing work had been conducted earlier on the day of the fire and might have contributed to the incident.

The fire occurred amid ongoing budget discussions in the district, where voters recently rejected a petition to cap the school budget. The school board had warned that proposed cuts could impact maintenance funding, though it is unclear if those discussions will be affected by the fire at Emerson Elementary.