The January 1971 fire at Norwood’s Junior High School was a major attraction, with hundreds of people braving freezing cold temperatures to stand in ankle-deep snow to watch the blaze, so it’s no surprise that the article about the fire is one of the most popular on our list. it was the largest local fire seen in Norwood in decades, according to Deputy Fire Chief Leo Coughlin.
To accommodate the 750 displaced students, Superintendent of Schools, Philip O. Coakley, was forced to begin double sessions at the Junior High North, which had opened the previous year.
An investigation showed that the cause was arson, with fires started in at least 3 different places on the second and third floors. The cost of the damage was estimated at close to $2 million.
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