School supplies from fire department, city council drive headed to Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences

TULSA - Students and teachers at Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences lost everything Wednesday when a fire destroyed their building.  A day later, classes resumed at a vacant Tulsa Public Schools facility.

TSAS leased the former Barnard Elementary building from TPS for the 2012-2013 school year.  After the fire, TPS donated the former Sequoyah Elementary building for TSAS use.

Though they had somewhere to turn, the TSAS community is starting from scratch as all their school supplies were lost in the flames.

Teachers say several community members and businesses have dropped off donations at the school as well. Many of the teachers say they lost hundreds even thousands of dollars worth of personal teaching materials.

View pictures from the scene at http:// bit.ly / ThWi2Q .

On Thursday, school officials released a list of supplies needed to finish out the school year.  Among the items on the items on the list were manilla file folders, scissors, staplers and English books.

Some of the bigger items lost were the music instruments.  The Saied Music Company is collecting donations at their store on 3259 S. Yale Ave.

The school has a financial donation section on their website.

Thanks to the Tulsa Fire Department and the Tulsa City Council, TSAS will also receive supplies gathered weeks ago after wildfires burned through Green Country, destroying the homes of a number of Creek County students and teachers.

We are working with the insurance companies to get an estimate on damages at Barnard and expect to know something by the end of next week.  We should have more details by then.  I think part of the holdup has been waiting on ATF to complete their investigation.  We should know more by the end of next week.

Meanwhile, the investigation into what caused the explosive fire continues.  Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting with the investigation.  Witness interviews and evidence collection will begin Monday.

As for the cost of damage, TPS is working with its insurance company to get an estimate on damages.  School officials expect those details to be available next week.