This was the year.

After seven years of running the concession and paying off loans taken out to buy equipment and inventory, the student council at the Watson Lake High School would be out of debt.

Profits would be greater, and more money would be directed into various programs at the school, like athletics or the annual graduating committee.

Just last week, Shannon Evans, the veteran staffer who works closely with the student council, was commenting on how the concession would finally be out of the red after all these years, principal Rollie Comeau recalled in an interview Thursday.

Monday's electrical fire that destroyed the concession area changed all that.

'So, needless to say, she was pretty distraught,' Comeau said.

But Jim Tredger, president of the Yukon Teachers Association, has initiated a drive to drum up financial support for the Watson Lake student council from other schools across the territory, Comeau said.

The principal said he's heard through the grapevine that a Watson Lake group is also planning to undertake fundraising efforts to help the council get back into business.

'So this has been a wonderful, uplifting experience for this school and this lady,' the principal said of the support shown.

It estimated the council lost about $15,000 in equipment and inventory, including various food and beverage products, and school clothing like hoodies and gym gear, Comeau said.

The six microwaves destroyed in the fire, for instance, belonged to the student council.

The high school did donate some equipment to the business project in the beginning, and the principal said it'll be there again to support the student council.

The teachers association has sent out a request to all the schools in the territory, titled 'Help put out the fire.'

The association is suggesting that if every student in the territory pitched in a loonie, $10,000 could be raised.

The association will collect the donations at the end of this month, during the Elementary Conference on Sept. 28 and the Central Council meeting Sept. 29.

It's expected the Watson Lake representatives will return home with substantial contributions.

Rosemary Burns, superintendent of schools with the Department of Education, has assured Comeau the department will also assist.

The department will replace equipment lost in the fire, she said in an interview this morning.

Burns said she supports the initiative of the teachers association to seek assistance from other students, as a means of encouraging compassion and solidarity among fellow students across the territory.

'I think that is what it is all about, kids helping kids.'

Burns said the department will make up the difference in any shortfalls of the fundraising effort to replace the losses of the student council.

The territory's schools were insured with regular insurance up until 2004, when they became self-insured by the Yukon government.

Kira Steen, a spokeswoman for the property management branch, said a rough, preliminary estimate puts the damage to the school around $20,000.

Comeau said the school hopes to find a temporary location for what will likely be a scaled-down concession until the regular room can be rebuilt.

The concession is open during breaks between classes. The high school's regular lunchtime service in the cafeteria will begin next week, Comeau said.

Staff and students are hoping to have input into the design of the new concession to suit their needs.

Comeau is also hoping students can participate in reconstruction with property management staff as a means of gaining exposure to the different trades.

There are 110 high school students, 25 of whom are in the Grade 12 graduating class.

About a dozen students are enrolled in the Yukon College campus next door. Though under the same roof, the campus is separate from the high school by a fire wall, and received a minor amount of smoke and water damage.

Watson Lake fire chief Dan Miller said the blaze was started by a faulty outlet or electrical cord on one of the coolers.

Comeau said once the fire was reported, he had a student pull the fire alarm, then went to the concession area armed with a fire extinguisher. After opening the door slightly, he saw the thick black smoke and flames. He closed the door and joined other staff and students in the parking lot.

After a few minutes, when he was not hearing any fire trucks, Comeau re-entered the building and called the fire department himself.

The volunteer department was there shortly afterward. (See separate story, this page, on the malfunctioning fire alarm.)

Comeau said there was a significant amount of fire, smoke and water damage.

The equipment in the concession room was all destroyed, and has been removed by staff with the property management branch.

Property management has also started to gut the concession room.

The principal suspects once the room is cleared of the fire debris, the smoky smell in the immediate area will fade quite a bit more.

He's not sure at this point, however, what it will take to get the auditorium back into a useable state.

Immediately adjacent to the concession area, the auditorium is used for the student assemblies, theatre productions, graduation ceremonies and the like.

Comeau said it was damaged significantly by smoke.

The walls have rugs on them to improve sound quality, and the seating area is also rugged, he pointed out. There are also large curtains that cover the windows to control lighting.

He's not sure whether the rugs and curtains can be cleaned, or if they'll require replacement.