The still-smoldering stump pile at Kimball Farm in the eastern part of Haverhill led to the early dismissal Thursday of students and staff at Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School.
Whittier Tech Principal Chris Laganas released students around 11 a.m. after receiving complaints of odors. He notified staff and families by email.
“I wanted to inform you that, out of an abundance of caution, we will be dismissing school early today due to a fire at Kimball Farm. We are in contact with the Haverhill Fire Department and they are hopeful that the fire will be contained soon.”
As WHAV first reported, the Haverhill Fire Department was dispatched around 9:40 p.m., Tuesday, to the farm at 791 East Broadway. Fire Chief Robert M. O’Brien said the fire appeared to be naturally occurring due to the decomposition of buried tree stumps.
A bulldozer was necessary to reach part of the source and mutual aid came from West Newbury and the state Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Bureau of Forest Fire Control, which provided additional water tankers.