Tires set ablaze near school fire burns a classroom

A fire last night damaged a classroom at Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School, city fire officials said.

Shortly after 11 p.m., a pile of tires outside the school, in the 3500 block of Hillen Road, apparently was set afire, fire officials said. The fire spread to a first-floor classroom and damaged a work bench and a number of tools before it was declared under control at 11:30 p.m.

The fire did not prevent the school from being opened today, said Douglas J. Neilson, a public schools spokesman.

There was no estimate of damages. Fire investigators were trying to determine the cause of the fire.