Fire at Hyattsville elementary school closes campus for Monday checks

A fire at César Chávez Dual Spanish Immersion School in Hyattsville forced Prince George’s County Public Schools to close the campus Monday while crews completed safety assessments and electrical checks. The school, at 6609 Riggs Road near Chillum, was expected to stay shut as fire investigators worked the scene.

Prince George’s County Fire/EMS responded to the fire Sunday evening. No injuries were reported, but the closure immediately disrupted a K-5 campus that normally serves students from 8:30 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. Families were being directed through the school’s usual communication channels while officials inspected the building.

The school’s main office is at 301-853-5694, and Principal Laura Guzman leads the campus. PGCPS lists César Chávez as a mandatory-uniform school, with Wildcats as the mascot and purple and white as the school colors. The school is part of the district’s Spanish immersion network, which serves grades K-11 across Prince George’s County.

César Chávez Dual Spanish Immersion has also drawn recognition beyond the county. PGCPS says the campus earned Maryland Green School status in 2015 and 2019. In December 2024, the district said the school was one of only eight in the United States and Canada newly recognized as an International Spanish Academy, a designation from the Spanish government for high-quality bilingual education.

The fire raised fresh questions for parents about the building’s condition and any prior safety concerns, but investigators remained on scene Monday as the district focused on clearing the campus for a return to normal operations. For now, the immediate concern was simpler: a school day lost, a building under inspection, and a Riggs Road campus that could not safely open until officials finished their checks.