UPDATE: More SIT Buildings Open on March 28
UPDATE #3 — March 28 @ 3:30 p.m.
As of 3 p.m. on March 28, a total of 12 buildings have reopened at the School for International Training (SIT) campus, providing some additional housing for students displaced during a fire that occurred two days prior.
The American Red Cross plans to keep its temporary shelter open and provide food to those affected through early next week. As of Friday afternoon, SIT and the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) were working to make arrangements for those displaced, reducing the number of those in the shelter.
"We are tremendously grateful for and humbled by the community's response and their support for our students,” said Tim Rivera, Senior Advisor of World Learning & SIT. “The teamwork with the Town of Brattleboro, our State of Vermont partners, the Red Cross, ECDC, and other members of the community has been nothing short of extraordinary. While we are still in recovery mode, we look forward to restarting some of our programming next week and are hopeful we will be able to resume normal operations in the coming months.”
On March 26, 2025, emergency personnel responded to and contained fires in five buildings on the SIT campus that temporarily displaced 126 people. The Town of Brattleboro activated its emergency response and assisted SIT with coordinating state and local agencies as part of the relief effort. The American Red Cross established shelter on-site that evening.
By March 27, Green Mountain Power and the Division of Fire Safety cleared nine buildings for occupancy.
Peter Lynch, the Public Works Assistant Director who served as the Emergency Management Director during the event, said the Town will be transitioning away from its emergency response effort to one of support as SIT works toward resuming regular operations throughout the weekend and into next week.
“The response effort required quick thinking and immediate action,” said Lynch. “The Town is grateful to the numerous people and organizations who contributed their time and talents. We’re heartened to be a part of a caring community — one that extends well beyond our borders.”
Further inquiries can be made to SIT at [email protected].
SIT officials said they intend to draw from their network of established volunteers and ask that those interested in helping the relief effort contribute monetary donations rather than in-person support. Donations to SIT can be made at graduate.sit.edu/donate (select "Other" under the Designation dropdown menu and write "Refugee Support" in the Designation box).
Donations to the ECDC can be made to ecdcvt.org/donate.
UPDATE #2 — March 27, 2025 @ 3:45 p.m.
About 24 hours after emergency personnel responded to multiple fires at the School for International Training (SIT) campus, nine of the 26 buildings on campus have been cleared for occupancy, with three more expected to open tomorrow.
The American Red Cross plans to keep the temporary shelter open and provide food to those affected through the weekend as more buildings are cleared for occupancy. About three dozen people will remain in the shelter through Friday evening.
“At this time, SIT is taking things day by day as we focus on the well-being of our refugee students,” said Tim Rivera, Senior Advisor of World Learning & SIT. “We continue to assess the situation in all of our buildings and are looking forward to when we can resume normal operations on our campus. We would like to express our enormous gratitude to the Red Cross for their care and professionalism throughout."
On March 26, 2025, emergency personnel responded to and contained fires in five buildings on the SIT campus, temporarily displacing 126 people. Later that evening, the American Red Cross established shelter in a central location on-site.
Brattleboro Assistant Fire Chief Charles Keir III said that while the exact cause remains under investigation, the cause is not suspicious in nature.
Carol Lolatte, the Brattleboro Recreation and Parks Director, who serves as a liaison between the Red Cross and the Town of Brattleboro, expressed her appreciation to the Red Cross for its responsiveness and to the Brattleboro Co-op and Vermont Country Deli, both of which supplied food to the campus.
“Both organizations went above and beyond to feed people with very little lead time to complete a large order,” said Lolatte.
SIT and the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) have a network of established volunteers prepared to assist in the days ahead. John Montes, a representative from the Red Cross, said that members of the public who are interested in supporting the response effort can direct monetary donations toward SIT and ECDC.
To make a financial contribution online, visit graduate.sit.edu/donate (select "Other" under the Designation dropdown menu and write "Refugee Support" in the Designation box).
Donations to ECDC can be made to ecdcvt.org/donate.
[Original press release from March 26]
On March 26, 2025, at approximately 11:11 a.m., Brattleboro emergency personnel received call of a fire alarm activation at the School for International Training (SIT), located at 1 Kipling Road in Brattleboro. Units arrived at 11:19 a.m., and first-arriving crews located a fire in Gamble Residence, a building on the north end of the campus.
After locating the fire, Captain Emery upgraded the incident to a first-alarm assignment, calling in additional crews. The incident was upgraded to a second alarm after fires were located in other buildings. There were active fires in a total of five of the 26 buildings on campus. The call was upgraded to a three-alarm fire at approximately 11:45 a.m., and additional equipment and personnel were called to the scene.
All fires on campus were determined to be under control at 12:29 p.m.
Brattleboro Assistant Fire Chief Charles Keir III said the exact cause of the fire is currently under investigation but is not believed to be suspicious.
Personnel who responded to the fire, as well as those who provided coverage to the Town during the incident, included the Brattleboro Police Department, the Brattleboro Department of Public Works, and fire/EMS departments from throughout the region, including Putney, Hinsdale, Guildford, Chesterfield, Newbrook, Cheshire, Westminster, Spofford, Dummerston, Keene, NH, Greenfield, MA, and Bernardston, MA.
As a result of the fire, 126 people have been temporarily displaced, 17 of which are minors. No injuries to students, staff, or emergency personnel were reported.
During an initial meeting at approximately 1:30 p.m., the Town’s Emergency Management Team, which includes members of the fire and police departments, Public Works, and the Recreation and Parks Department, coordinated with SIT administration and representatives from the American Red Cross, Vermont Emergency Management, the Vermont Department of Health, the Vermont Division of Fire Safety, the Medical Reserve Corps, Brattleboro Union High School, among other stakeholders, to determine if electricity and water could be returned to the buildings on campus.
The group discussed whether to establish a shelter in an alternate location due to conditions on campus, along with other arrangements, such as security needs.
By 5 p.m., Green Mountain Power and the Division of Fire Safety reported that three buildings were ready for occupancy, and a central building was selected as shelter for the evening. Those displaced on campus will be allowed to return to the unoccupied buildings to gather essentials.
The Red Cross plans to establish a shelter on campus at approximately 7 p.m. to support the immediate needs of those who have been displaced by the fire in addition to providing meals. They will be supporting those affected through disaster-related health services and mental health services.
Brattleboro Police and Fire will have staff available throughout the evening, including EMS providers and a member of the police liaison team.
Peter Lynch, the Public Works Assistant Director who served as the Emergency Management Director during the event, said the “Town of Brattleboro will continue to work with the school to determine when the remainder of the buildings can be safely occupied.”
“We will provide additional support as the school navigates through the early hours of this incident and in the days ahead,” said Lynch. “The Red Cross will keep us informed regarding what additional supports the public can provide.”
The Town’s Emergency Operation Center will remain active and hold daily meetings. The Town will release further information when available.