Dave Deibert, Saskatoon StarPhoenix
The start of the 2026-27 school year is in question for more than 1,000 Saskatoon students after a suspected case of arson at Bethlehem High School.
The fire late Friday night tore through the portable classrooms that were under construction and being attached to the building in the 100 block of Bowlt Crescent.
Saskatoon police confirmed “the fire is believed to be suspicious” and that an arson invesigator is working on the case.
“With the start of the school year just a few weeks away, we know you may have questions about what this means for school startup. At this stage, we are waiting on confirmed details from the fire department and emergency personnel before final decisions are made,” Bethlehem principal Shelda Hanlan Stroh said in a letter to the school community.
“Together, with patience and grace, we will navigate the days ahead and ensure our students and staff are supported.”
According to Hanlan Stroh, emergency crews “responded swiftly, and while the fire was successfully extinguished, the new portable classrooms sustained significant damage.”
Hanlan Stroh, who also noted water and smoke damage in other areas, said the school and surrounding grounds were closed so investigators could complete their work, and the full impact could be assessed.
The 2026-27 school year is scheduled to begin Sept. 2.
Bethlehem’s enrolment as of Sept. 30, 2025 was 1,439.
Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools thanked fire crews and emergency services for their response, and said it will “provide updates to students and staff as to how the fire may affect the start of school.”
Vicki Mowat, MLA for Saskatoon Fairview, also thanked fire crews for their response.
“Students, teachers and school staff are in my thoughts,” Mowat said in a Facebook post.
Fire crews and Saskatoon police officers responded on Friday just after 10:30 p.m., and immediately observed “heavy smoke and large flames coming from a construction area attached to the school,” according to Saskatoon Fire Department in a news release.
Fire crews advanced multiple hose lines in their attempt to extinguish the blaze, before fire command called for a second alarm — bringing another apparatus and more firefighters to the scene.
As crews set up two ladder trucks, firefighters “entered the school to look for fire extension and search for people inside,” SFD said.
By the early-morning hours of Saturday, the fire had been completely extinguished, according to SFD, and an investigator was on scene “to conduct an examination to identify the cause, origin and damage estimate.”
According to the City of Saskatoon, the Shaw Centre civic facility — which sits in between Bethlehem High School and Tommy Douglas Collegiate — was not affected by the fire.
