Hurley Hall Fire Resources
At approximately 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, a fire broke out in Hurley Hall dormitory at Cheshire Academy. All students were safely evacuated and are accounted for, and the fire department successfully contained the fire. Emergency protocols were activated immediately, and there are no injuries reported among students or first responders. We are grateful to first responders, as well as our faculty and staff, for your swift actions.
Updates:
Share Hurley Memories
May 14, 2025 – 10:21 a.m. ET
As fire officials are determining the cause of the fire and assessing the damage, we are providing an opportunity to focus on the positive memories of Hurley Hall in a Kudoboard. On this virtual scrapbook, you can post photos, stories, and more, as well as interact with posts from peers recalling good times in one of the oldest buildings on campus. If you remember Hurley from its time as a library, a secondary dining hall, the site of fencing room triumphs and College Counseling excitement, and your home away from home, we’d love to hear from you!
Hurley Hall Update
May 8, 2025 – 1:25 p.m. ET
Around 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, a small amount of residual smoke was detected in Hurley Hall from the aftermath of Tuesday’s fire.
Fire officials confirmed there was no further damage and there are no injuries.
Students, faculty, and staff briefly evacuated buildings in an abundance of caution but are now safely returning to class.
Student Emergency Support Fund
May 7, 2025 – 10:45 a.m. ET
In the wake of the Hurley Hall fire, we’ve been deeply moved by the outpouring of support from our community and peer schools asking how they can help. While we are fully committed to providing our students with everything needed to continue their education at Cheshire Academy, we recognize many wish to contribute during this challenging time.
As the investigation continues, we’re coordinating shuttle services for affected students and supplying essential items while Hurley Hall remains closed. For those wishing to support our students directly during this transition period, we’ve established the Student Emergency Support Fund. Your contribution will help provide immediate necessities and resources to students impacted by this unfortunate event.
Thank you for standing with our students and our community during this difficult time.
Hurley Hall Fire Update From Head of School
May 6, 2025 – 4:46 p.m. ET
Our Students First
Caring for Our Displaced Community Members
School Schedule
- Faculty and staff will gather at 8:30 a.m. in Richardson Lecture Hall
- The final period will end 20 minutes early to allow our community to come together at 12:15 p.m. in the Dining Commons
Stay Informed
Thank You For Your Support
This Week's Academic Schedule & IB Exam Update
May 6, 2025 – 3:36 p.m. ET
In the wake of this morning’s fire, we are keen to have students and faculty return to class as soon as possible. Routines are good, and the end of the school year is approaching quickly.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, May 7, classes will resume as normal at 9:10 a.m. The schedule will proceed as normal through G-Block and H-Block. A-Block will end 20 minutes early, at 12:10 p.m., and the entire community will gather for an all-school meeting in the Dining Commons prior to lunch at 12:15 p.m..
As for IB exams, the IB granted us a 24-hour delay for the IB History HL Paper 3 exam and the IB Mandarin ab initio Paper 1 and Paper 2 exams that were scheduled for today, Wednesday, May 6.
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For the rest of this year’s IB exams, all IB exams that were scheduled to take place in the fencing room will take place on court 2 in the Field House. Students who are in separate settings for extended time or other accommodations should check for messages from Ms. Przybyla-Baum for any updates or changes to their schedules or locations.
If you have any questions about your/your student’s IB exams, please reach out directly to Ms. Przybyla-Baum or directly to Marc Aronson.
Official Statement: Hurley Hall Fire at Cheshire Academy
May 6, 2025 – 6:47 a.m. ET
At approximately 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, a fire broke out in Hurley Hall dormitory at Cheshire Academy. All students were safely evacuated and accounted for, and the fire department successfully contained the fire. There are no injuries reported among students or first responders.
Emergency protocols were activated immediately. Hurley residents have been temporarily relocated to the JJ White auditorium and Gideon Welles Dining Commons, and counseling services are available for affected students. A dedicated phone line for family inquiries has been established at 203-439-7234. All classes and IB exams are canceled for today. Further information, including the class schedule for the remainder of the week, will be shared later today, May 6.
We are working with fire officials and authorities to determine the cause and assess damage. A housing plan for displaced students is being developed, and we will provide updates via our emergency notification system, email, and website.
We ask everyone to avoid the Hurley Hall area and direct all media inquiries to Sarah Fabrizi, Director of Marketing and Communications.
Thank you for your cooperation during this challenging time.
Key Contacts
General inquiries can call 203-439-7234. Please see below for other appropriate contacts.
Resources
Town of Cheshire Youth & Family Counseling
UWill
Ways to Help
Thank you for the outpouring of support from our community and peer schools. As we assess the situation, we will reach out with specific areas of need. For those wishing to support our students directly during this transition period, we've established the Student Emergency Support Fund.
Donate to the Student Emergency Support FundFAQs
Yes. All students, faculty, and staff have been safely evacuated and accounted for. Emergency services responded immediately and ensured everyone’s safety.
Official updates will be sent via email, posted on the Cheshire Academy website and social channels, and shared through the school’s emergency alert system.
As we assess the situation, we will reach out with specific areas of need. For those wishing to support our students directly during this transition period, we’ve established the Student Emergency Support Fund.
The cause of the Hurley Hall fire remains under investigation by the state fire marshal. We do not have a definitive timeline for when the final report will be completed, as thorough investigations require careful examination of evidence. While we understand our community is eager for answers, we must allow authorities to conduct their work properly before sharing conclusive information.
Once we receive the report, we’ll use its findings to take additional steps and will promptly share appropriate updates with our community. We appreciate your patience as we navigate this challenging situation together.
Yes. Counseling services are available and encouraged for all students affected by the fire. We understand the emotional impact of such an event and are committed to supporting each student’s wellbeing.
Students can utilize our on-campus Counseling and Wellness Center, Uwill teletherapy services, or the Town of Cheshire Youth & Family Counseling.
Classes are back in session, and IB exams were rescheduled, with support for those who need it. A full schedule update, with locations, was sent out via email.
Our dining hall is fully open and staffed. Meals will still be provided to the campus community.
Any construction activity you may observe is related to securing the building and ensuring it is safe. It is not related to the recovery of belongings or repair efforts at this time.
Please direct general inquiries to 203-439-7234. Please see key contacts for more information.
Please contact the Business Office to arrange a time to pick up items this summer. If your student is returning in the fall, we can store the items on campus for the summer if needed.
FAQs for Hurley Hall Students & Families
We have successfully retrieved essential items including legal documents (passports, I-20s, social security cards, driver’s licenses), cash and financial items, electronics and devices, as well as some sentimental belongings and jewelry. We are grateful to the safety teams for making this possible.
We are arranging for professional laundry services to clean affected clothing. Updates will be shared with families as we receive more information about when cleaned items will be returned.
No. Per the Fire Marshal, no students, faculty, or staff are allowed to enter Hurley Hall under any circumstances. This restriction ensures the integrity of the fire investigation and the safety of all community members.
Housing arrangements have been made for all affected students. If you have specific questions regarding your daughter’s housing placement, please contact the Residential Life Office directly.
We are providing academic accommodations to ensure students continue to thrive despite the disruption. This includes access to necessary learning materials, adjusted deadlines, and coordination with faculty.
Yes. All displaced students have been given basic necessities and supplies to ensure their immediate comfort and stability. We will continue to provide resources as needed.
Not yet. We expect all laundry to be returned on or before May 30.
Our insurance carrier has requested confirmation of whether Hurley Hall student families have homeowner’s insurance. We ask that you please reply to this email to let us know whether or not you have coverage. If you do have homeowner’s insurance, we will need either a copy of your declarations page or coverage summary. If you’re not comfortable sharing those documents, please provide the amount of personal property covered by your policy and your deductible amount.
We believe most salvageable items have been recovered. If you believe there’s something specific that should have been retrievable, please reach out and we will make every effort to locate it.
We’ve arranged shopping trips for students to buy essential items, and those have been reimbursed by the Academy. For additional immediate needs beyond what we’ve provided, families can replace necessary items, but we encourage you to file a claim with your personal homeowner’s insurance policy while we await clarity on our insurance coverage. It remains unclear whether our insurance carrier will reimburse us for student belongings, so personal insurance may be your best option for coverage of non-essential replacements at this time.
