Students, staff impacted by Philadelphia Catholic school fire start classes in temporary location

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Students and staff impacted by a devastating fire at a school in Philadelphia's Chestnut Hill section moved into a temporary learning location on Thursday.

Our Mother of Consolation Parish School was destroyed by a fire on March 21.

Volunteers and faculty have spent the last three weeks setting up at Fournier Hall at Chestnut Hill College.

On Thursday, they finally welcomed students to campus.

SEE ALSO: Roof collapses as fire destroys Catholic school in Chestnut Hill

The fire began at about 3:45 p.m. Tuesday at the Our Mother of Consolation School located on East Chestnut Hill Avenue.

"We are most grateful that none of the kids were hurt and that everyone's safe," said parent Maya Brown.

School leaders said the fire was caused by electrical wires in the attic.

The loss was a big blow to the community, but now the kids are excited for this new start.

"She just wants to meet college kids and know how it feels to be on a college campus, it's a good experience for her," said parent Antoine Simmons.

Chestnut Hill College was able to make room so that all of the 231 students could stay together.

Chopper 6 was live over a raging fire at Our Mother of Consolation School in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia.

"We are super lucky that they moved themselves around. They moved faculty, they moved classrooms, they moved offices to let us have a full wing to ourselves where the kids could be closed off and safe," said parent Lisa Devieux.

Parents treated the three weeks as an extended Spring Break with instructional time sprinkled in.

"It's been wonderful," said parent Charlene Gedeus. "Three weeks has really been quick, but I'm not going to lie, from a parent's point, it's been three weeks too long."

In that time, the principals said they were able sign a lease, gather supplies and navigate the outpouring of support from the community.

"One hundred sixty years of academic excellence and we're going to keep going," said Dr. Patricia Sheetz, principal of Our Mother of Consolation Parish School.

Sheetz also said they are contracted to be on the college campus through the rest of the school year and that they'll be able to use the space next school year if needed.