The worst fire in many years in this area occurred early yesterday morning as the Leadwood High School building burned with the entire inside of the structure in ruins, leaving the walls standing.

Fire departments from Desloge, Bonne Terre and Flat River rushed to the emergency about 8 o'clock in the morning and, although the fire had such a head start, managed to keep the flames from spreading to the gymnasium next door, where the district sub-regional basketball tournament is being held. With a slight wind from the south blowing flames and smoke in the direction of the gym and with only 15 feet separating the two buildings, firemen had difficulty in preventing the fire from spreading.

The three fire companies had about six hoses playing streams on the fire from all sides and from the top of the gym but new fires started in other places during the morning as firemen shifted the hoses back and forth. Dense smoke pouring from the building prevented an accurate estimate of what was left standing inside. By 9 o'clock the complete roof had fallen in and parts of the second floor had been eaten up by fire.

The fire was discovered shortly before 7 o'clock by the janitors who, after building up the furnace fire and doing the same in the gym, returned to the furnace room at the rear of the two-story structure and as they opened the door were met by a solid wall of smoke.

One of the janitors immediately called Supt. Geo. Englehart, who turned in the alarm to "Central" and rushed to the building to see if he could save anything. Englehart was unable to reach his office as smoke and flames had spread within a few minutes to the front part of the building.

Supt. Englehart said little was saved, except a few books and some filing cabinets and a few pieces of furniture. The main records of the school, in a concrete fire-proof vault in the superintendent's office, are safe, as the vault had not been harmed. He would not estimate the loss, but others estimate a damage running in excess of $100,000 with the cost of rebuilding somewhat more than the original. The building was insured.

High school students were watching the fire as school was suspended. Supt. Englehart said, however, that school will be resumed with most of the class work being held in the gym.

The fire was under control by mid-morning and with the fire departments remaining on the job until further danger is over, the fire should be extinguished before danger exists of the brick walls callapsing. A small portion of the wall extending above the roof in the rear fell early during the fire. Otherwise, the shell of the school building stands.

The fire was extinguished by about 3 o'clock in the afternoon with callapsed wooden portions still smoldering. Supt. Englehart said the fire would not interrupt the basketball tourney and it would continue the remaining three nights.