While students went through their rooms Thursday and gathered the personal belongings they could salvage, fire investigators determined the cause of the blaze that gutted rooms in the Alice Dormitory at Wasatch Academy Wednesday afternoon.
Mt. Pleasant Fire Capt. Doug Robinett said the cause was a smoldering cigarette left in the northeast corner of the building's attic. Investigators don't believe the fire was started intentionally, Robinett said.
"The roof is a total loss, as well as the whole attic area," Robinett said. "There was a lot of water and some structural damage to the second story. And just water damage to the first story."
Preliminary damage costs aren't being released, Robinett said. However, the school administration already has decided to rebuild.
"It's got plenty of structural stability left to be rebuilt," said Sue Smith, the private school's business manager.
For now, the 30 displaced boys and dorm parent who lived in the building are staying in other dorm buildings.
Smith said the school will get started with building plans as soon as possible and that Alice Dormitory could be finished in as little as six months. "Or maybe even longer. But my anticipation is we will have it done as soon as we can."
Smith said school was in session Thursday, except for the boys who lived in Alice. They were escorted to their rooms, one by one, to get belongings and talk to investigators.
Smith said it was unclear whether the cigarette was discarded by a student or a staff member; however, she guesses it was a "teenage thing."
"(Academy) students aren't allowed to smoke at all," Smith said.
The area of the attic where investigators determined the fire started is a "secured, locked area," Smith said, and it appears students were able to figure out how to get inside.
E-MAIL: lhancock@desnews.com