Fire causes $60K damage to St. Stephen of Hungary School

YOUNGSTOWN — Firefighters extinguished a fire in the roof of the St. Stephens of Hungary School, 858 Wilson Ave., early today that caused $60,000 in damage.

The school building, located next to St. Stephen of Hungary Catholic Church on the city’s East Side, was not being used as a school in the Diocese of Youngstown school system, officials said. There was no damage to the church.

Fire Capt. Alvin Ware said the department responded to the fire shortly after midnight and remained on the scene for more than two hours.

The Rev. Nicholas Mancini, pastor of St. Stephens, told firefighters that workers had been in the building Thursday repairing window damage from vandalism. The building was secure when firefighters arrived.

Investigators don’t know the cause of the fire, Ware said.

No injurires were reported. The facility had a smoke-detection system, but the fire was called in by a passer-by, Ware said.