Milwaukee School Fire Prompts New Safety Procedures and Staff Training

A five-alarm fire that destroyed a Milwaukee elementary school this summer has led to new safety protocols and retraining for custodial employees after investigators determined the accidental fire was caused by improperly discarded chemical-soaked rags.

The June 30 fire at Lincoln Avenue School required more than 100 firefighters and left the building damaged beyond repair. No injuries were reported.

Milwaukee Public Schools has since made several changes to its custodial procedures, while surveillance footage of the incident has offered a detailed look at how the fire started and the conditions that contributed to its spread.

The incident is also a reminder that all staff have a role in school safety and that important procedures need to be reinforced throughout the year.

Milwaukee School Fire Caused by Chemical-Soaked Rags

Custodial employees were cleaning Lincoln Avenue School during summer break when rags containing floor-cleaning chemicals were placed in a plastic garbage can at the end of the day, according to the Milwaukee Fire Department.

Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski said chemical reactions within the rags generated heat. Additional rags placed on top confined that heat, causing temperatures to continue rising until the materials spontaneously combusted.

Surveillance footage showed a small amount of smoke beginning to emerge from the garbage can approximately 30 minutes before the first calls to the fire department. Within about three minutes, the hallway had filled with smoke.

Investigators determined the fire was accidental and involved human error. Extreme heat, open windows, propped-open doors, a running fan, and furniture in the hallways also contributed to how quickly the fire spread through the building.

Surveillance Video Plays Key Role in Investigation

The school's surveillance system became an important investigative tool because the building was too unstable for fire investigators to safely enter.

Footage allowed investigators to reconstruct the events leading up to the fire and observe its progression through the building. MPS also reviewed the video and began taking corrective action before the fire department completed its investigation.

The investigation also shows how school surveillance systems can be useful beyond monitoring and investigating security incidents. Following an emergency, video can help determine what occurred, identify contributing factors, and inform changes to policies and procedures.

MPS Retrains Custodial Staff, Implements New Protocols

Following the fire, MPS retrained all custodial employees on the handling and disposal of chemical-soaked materials.

The district also implemented several new protocols:

• Rags containing oils or other chemicals must be placed in approved metal containers at the end of every shift
• Approved metal containers have been distributed to all schools
• Oil-based chemicals can only be applied on days when temperatures are below 85 degrees
• Employees must verify at the end of each shift that all fire doors, room doors, and required windows are closed and secured

The district has also addressed furniture left in hallways, one of the conditions investigators said contributed to the fire's spread.

Milwaukee School Fire Leads to Building Demolition, Student Relocation

MPS received an initial $5 million insurance payment to fund demolition of the remaining structure. Cassellius estimated it would cost approximately $50 million to replace an elementary school.

Students and programming from Lincoln Avenue School will relocate to nearby Pulaski High School for the 2026-27 school year. Transportation will be available for students who need it, including families who previously lived close enough for students to walk to Lincoln Avenue.

While preventing injuries and loss of life is the biggest concern, the fire also shows the financial and operational costs that can result from human error. It’s another reason to make sure safety procedures are clear and reinforced with employees over time.

Reinforcing Safety Procedures Throughout the Year

The Lincoln Avenue fire happened during summer break as custodial staff were getting the building ready for the new school year. It also shows why school safety training can't just focus on teachers, administrators, and security staff. Custodians, maintenance workers, transportation staff, and other employees all have a role in keeping schools safe.

It’s also important that training isn’t treated as a one-time event. Safety procedures should be revisited throughout the year, especially when policies change, new concerns emerge, or an incident shows that additional training may be needed.

Short refreshers and discussions of real-world incidents can help reinforce procedures without requiring a full-scale training exercise.

Tennessee School Response Shows Procedures in Practice

A recent incident in Tennessee also shows the importance of employees knowing how to respond when a potential hazard is identified.

Students at Church Hill Elementary School in Hawkins County were dismissed early Aug. 13 after students and staff smelled a gas-like odor outside the school during morning arrival. School officials called emergency services and the local gas utility, kept students and staff indoors, and brought in additional nursing personnel after several adults who had spent longer periods outside began experiencing nausea and other symptoms.

Six adults and one student were transported to a hospital for evaluation. Officials determined the odor was not caused by a natural gas leak, and the district later said three air-quality checks conducted at the school found no concerns. The school remained closed the following day as a precaution.

Hawkins County Schools said school and district personnel "did exactly what they were supposed to" during the response.

Tabletop Exercises Can Help Reinforce Procedures

Tabletop exercises are another way schools can revisit safety procedures and identify potential gaps in their emergency plans.

The Idaho Office of School Safety and Security developed a series of short tabletop exercises based on actual incidents at Idaho schools. Designed to take approximately 10 to 15 minutes during a faculty or administrative meeting, the exercises ask participants to consider how they would respond, whether existing policies and procedures are adequate, and whether those involved understand their roles and are trained to carry them out.

One scenario involves a teacher who accidentally drops a beaker containing mercury shortly before dismissal. Students leave the classroom before the hazardous nature of the spill is recognized, ultimately resulting in mercury being tracked into school hallways, onto a school bus, and into two private homes.

An after-action review found the district did not have a protocol for the incident. The district subsequently updated chemical storage and handling procedures, developed a chemical hygiene plan, named and trained a chemical hygiene officer, and reviewed the chemicals being stored and used.

Another recent school fire underscores why these discussions are worth having. Derby Hills Elementary School in Kansas will be closed Aug. 31 after a fire broke out in the school's cafeteria and kitchen early Sunday morning. No one was inside, and firefighters quickly contained the fire, but the building sustained moderate smoke and fire damage.

The cause remains under investigation, but the Derby Fire Department said the fire is suspected to have originated within a grease/water separator in the kitchen.

Incidents like these can give school safety teams a starting point for asking practical questions: What would happen if a fire or other emergency made one of our buildings temporarily unusable? Who would make decisions about closing or relocating school? How would families and staff be notified? What operational issues would need to be addressed before students could return?

These examples show how schools can use incidents that have happened elsewhere to review their own procedures and consider how employees would respond if faced with a similar situation.