Delco Catholic school destroyed in three-alarm fire

The fire that raged through a Catholic elementary school in Morton, Delaware County, did more than damage a building, from the perspective of Mike Modge.

"It's like all your childhood memories burning down," said Modge, 27, who attended the school from kindergarten through sixth grade.

Modge, who now lives in South Philadelphia, said that when he learned on social media Thursday morning about the fire that burned through Our Lady of Angels Regional Catholic Elementary School, "I was just blown away."

The school, known as Our Lady of Perpetual Help School until 2012, has been a fixture in the community for 70 years, and "It's just really sad to see how much is gone," he said.

The blaze ripped through the roof of the classroom wing, and by the time it was extinguished early Thursday, only the walls remained standing.

Sister Deborah Krist, principal from 2006 to 2016, said the fire left her "truly devastated," but said she was "thanking God no one was hurt."

Despite the fire, classes will resume on schedule in September, said Ken Gavin, a spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, with the school's 400 pupils and their teachers using space at Cardinal O'Hara High School in Springfield Township.

The elementary school opened in 1949, according to a parish history. A firewall prevented the blaze from spreading to a newer section of the school housing offices and the gym, officials said.

"We thank the Lord no one got hurt," Msgr. John Savinski, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish, said. "The responders were fantastic."

The fire was reported around 11:15 p.m. Wednesday, and firefighters battled the blaze for more than 90 minutes before bringing it under control.

Some homes surrounding the school were evacuated for a time while the fire raged. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The fire comes just weeks after Sue Lowe took over as principal. She could not be reached for comment.

Our Lady of Angels was formed in 2012 from a merger of Our Lady of Perpetual Help school and Our Lady of Fatima School in Secane.

The archdiocese said the fire was a "moment of deep sadness" for the school community as well as for Catholics around the region.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help teachers at the school buy new supplies.

Preston Tyrrell, a former Catholic elementary school teacher, said he launched the GoFundMe campaign after learning of the fire. "The first thought that went through my mind was that the teachers pay for school supplies," said Tyrrell, now a high school teacher in the Ridley School District.

"In an elementary school classroom, those are the things that make it a classroom," he said, adding, "Knowing the community, I'm sure the school will bounce back."

"I really believe that this is an opportunity for the whole community to come together and rebuild," said Krist. "I no longer work there, but my heart is there."

Editor's Note: This story was revised to correct Sister Deborah Krist's last name.