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TUCSON - Materials being used to install a wood floor at a charter high school is the cause of an accidental fire that did over one million dollars damage to the structure, according to the Tucson Fire Department.

Tucson Fire says the fire began in the school office area after a flammable vapor built up from the materials being used to install and stain the floor.

The fire broke out around 6:34 p.m Thursday night at Compass High School near 22nd Street and Sarnoff on the city's eastside.

Damage is estimated to be about $1.7 million dollars to the structure and $200,000 to the contents.

"It does not look as though this building is sprinklered and many of the fires that we've had in the last year where the building was not sprinklered, there was a significant loss and businesses often don't reopen," says Tucson Fire's Trish Tracy.

Tracy also told News 4 when firefighters arrived one part of the school was already fully involved and they believe the fire did spread to at least 4 other areas of the school.

Firefighters arrived to find the east end of the school completely engulfed. The flames were spreading towards the west end of the building, according to firefighters.

School officials told firefighters there had been people inside the building when the fire started and they evacuated before firefighters arrived.

It took over 60 firefighters and 20 fire trucks almost 3 hours to save approximately 75-percent of the building. Vital school information was also retrieved during firefighting operations and the school is still expected to open on Monday thanks to that recovery.

Four of the ten sections of the school were destroyed.

Tucson Fire says there is a safety message to be learned here: Follow the manufacturer's instructions when using flammable materials. Remove all possible sources of ignition and ensure
the area is well-ventilated.