Video: Raw: Concrete School fire video shot by student

Larger screen

CONCRETE, Wash. - Investigators are searching for clues in a fire that destroyed a historic school in the town of Concrete.

The blaze gutted the three-story building Sunday, causing the roof and floors to collapse.

The fire broke out at the abandoned school on McKee Street around 2 p.m. By the time firefighters reached the school, flames were ripping through the upper story of the building. Then parts of the building started to collapse as people gathered to watch.     

"It was scary," said Chandra Perry.  "We didn't know if the whole thing was going to go down or what it was going to do."

Fire officials said because the building has concrete walls, it was burning extremely hot, preventing firefighters from entering. No injuries were reported and the building is a total loss.

KING / Courtesy LeMoyne Coates

The school building in Concrete, Wash., was built in the 1930's but has been vacant for the past two decades except for an incomplete effort to make it look like a medieval castle.

The building was built in the 1930's but has been vacant for the past two decades except for an incomplete effort to make it look like a medieval castle. The uncompleted turrets fell to the ground in flames.

The building is also part of Hollywood history.  It served as a backdrop for the 1993 film "This Boys Life" starring Robert DeNiro and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Investigators are probing the cause of the fire.

Fire Chief Rich Philips says it's suspicious because there was no electricity to the building and people have been breaking in.