CRECC to remain closed after electrical issue, district says

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — New Hanover County Schools released more information regarding the incident at the College Road Early Childhood Center on Thursday night.

The district says there were no active flames inside the building but there was an electrical issue that required an immediate response and assessment of the facility.

Officials are working to evaluate and verify the air quality within the building. Restoration and remediation work will continue through this weekend and into early next week.

Prior to the reopening of the building, it must undergo a review by the Health Department.

CRECC will remain closed to students Monday through Wednesday, January 12-14, 2026.

They have carefully considered alternate locations for students; however, due to the many factors involved, including licensing requirements, child nutrition, and student transportation logistics, the time required to safely transfer operations to another site would be the same time needed to restore the current building.

In the original press release sent by the district on Thursday night they said, “CRECC experienced a fire inside the building. We are thankful to share that the fire was quickly extinguished and that our staff and administration met first responders on scene to support and assess the situation. Everyone is safe, and we are grateful for the swift actions taken to keep our school community protected.”