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Whitefield school’s custodian, Louis Shorey (second from left) has become a local hero and was honored March 27 at a school assembly. Students Madyson Young and Abigail Peaslee (right), present Shorey with a Superman T-shirt, while Principal Joshua McNaughton (left) looks on. (Kathy Onorato photo) |
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By Kathy Onorato
Although Louis Shorey is not a name many will recognize, the students and staff of Whitefield Elementary School will remember him as the man that saved their school from being destroyed by a fire on March 10.
Shorey, the school’s custodian, was honored during a school assembly on March 28.
Sitting on the gym floor, chanting “Louis! Louis! Louis!” children and school staff tried to get the attention of their new super hero. Hearing his name being called, Shorey entered the gym to a loud round of applause of an appreciative audience.
“As you know, we have a school today due to the quick actions of Mr. Shorey. He literally saved our school,” said Principal Joshua McNaughton.
Shorey said he was performing his regular cleaning in the school gymnasium during the early morning of March 10, when he heard the popping sound of a light bulb. Shorey said it happens quite frequently and he didn’t think too much about it at first, but something caught his eye. He looked up and noticed plastic melting from the light fixture on the ceiling and dripping onto the gym floor.
The hot plastic was burning the floor, Shorey said. He grabbed a nearby extinguisher and used it on the floor. Looking up, he noticed one of the banners hanging by the ceiling had also caught on fire. Shorey said he didn’t think the extinguisher’s chemical would reach the 19-foot ceiling, but he had to try.
Shorey said he was surprised he was able to put the fire out that high up.
Although the fire was contained to the gym, the dust and chemical from the extinguisher made its way through two-thirds of the building, which required an extensive cleaning and took several days to complete. The ceiling tiles in the gym and cafeteria also were replaced.
The sections of the gym floor that were burned from the melted plastic will be replaced during April vacation.
The school was closed for one week following the fire, which caused an estimated $100,000 in damage.
Students presented Shorey with a couple of gift certificates and a Superman T-shirt.
“It’s nice to be appreciated,” Shorey said. “Sometimes you don’t know you are appreciated.”
