BRATTLEBORO, V.T. (MyKeeneNow) – A massive fire broke out at the School of International Training (SIT) in Brattleboro Wednesday morning, displacing 126 people, including 17 minors.

First responders arrived at the campus at 1 Kipling Road at 11:19 a.m. Wednesday and found an active fire in Gamble Residence, a dormitory on the north side of the campus. Brattleboro Fire Captain Emery quickly upgraded the response to a first-alarm assignment, calling in additional crews.

As firefighters discovered more fires in separate buildings, the call was escalated to a second alarm. Eventually, active fires were confirmed in five of the 26 buildings on campus, leading to a three-alarm response by 11:45 a.m.

Crews worked aggressively to contain the fires, and by 12:30 p.m., all flames were declared under control.

Officials have not yet determined the exact cause, but Brattleboro Assistant Fire Chief Charles Keir III stated in a news release that the fires do not appear to be suspicious.

Although no injuries were reported among students, staff, or emergency personnel, the fire forced the temporary displacement of 126 people. Local officials quickly mobilized a response, with Brattleboro’s Emergency Management Team meeting at 1:30 p.m. to coordinate with SIT administration, the American Red Cross, Vermont Emergency Management, and other agencies. Discussions focused on restoring electricity and water to campus buildings and determining whether an off-campus shelter was needed.

By 5 p.m., Green Mountain Power and the Vermont Division of Fire Safety had inspected the campus and determined that three buildings were safe for re-occupancy. One central building was designated as a temporary shelter for the evening. The Red Cross planned to open an official shelter on campus by 7 p.m. to provide displaced residents with meals, disaster-related health services, and mental health support.

Throughout the night, Brattleboro police and fire personnel, including EMS providers and a police liaison, remained on-site to assist residents. Public Works Assistant Director Peter Lynch, who served as the Emergency Management Director during the incident, emphasized that the town would continue working with SIT to determine when the remaining buildings could be safely reopened.

“[The] Town of Brattleboro will continue to work with the school to determine when the remainder of the buildings can be safely occupied,” Lynch said. “We will provide additional support as the school navigates through the early hours of this incident and in the days ahead. The Red Cross will keep us informed regarding what additional supports the public can provide.”

The Town’s Emergency Operations Center remains active and will hold daily meetings as the situation develops. Authorities plan to release further updates as more information becomes available.