Fire damages building under construction at Doherty High School in Worcester

WORCESTER – A fire damaged a building under construction at Doherty High School in Worcester Monday afternoon. 

WBZ-TV’s drone camera captured firefighters still on the roof as the sun set Monday, hosing down the smoldering stacks of insulation that had fueled spectacular flames.

It was just after 3 p.m. when firefighters got several 911 calls about heavy smoke atop one of four new buildings under construction as part of the new, $316 million Doherty High School.

“It’s like a punch to the gut,” said Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty. “You put a lot of time and effort. A lot of time went into the planning of this school.”

The smoke quickly became a rooftop inferno, burning piles of highly flammable insulation that had just been put up there Monday morning and was not yet installed.

“Collapse was forethought in our minds, and really creating a zone to keep our firefighters safe,” said Worcester Fire Deputy Chief Adam Roche.

The fire came after kids at the current Doherty High, right next door, had already gone home.

Despite a dry hydrant and a long hose run, firefighters doused the flames in less than 30 minutes. One construction worker suffered minor injuries.

Neighbors say several fleeing workers told them what started the fire. “He said a welder’s spark hit the roofing material which was very flammable,” said neighbor Joan Dunn.

Fire officials confirm that welders were working on the roof but could not yet pinpoint that as a cause. Now comes questions about possible heat damage to the steel support beams and how that might impact a project scheduled to open in January of 2024.

Fire officials said it will likely take a couple of days to determine what kind of set back the fire caused.