8-Foot Python Named Nanner Blamed for Virginia School Fire — But Her Owner Disagrees

An 8-foot python named Nanner has become the center of a big debate after a fire broke out at Forest Middle School in Bedford County, Virginia. Firefighters arrived at the school just before 1 a.m. on a Thursday after a fire alarm went off. When crews reached the second floor, they found smoke, water flowing through the building, and a giant snake hiding under a desk. Fire officials say Nanner escaped her tank, knocked over a heat lamp, and started the fire. But the teacher who owns Nanner says that is not what happened.

Life science teacher Brittany Jacobs has owned Nanner for years and used the python as a classroom teaching tool. She strongly disagrees with the fire marshal's findings. Jacobs says that Nanner broke out of her tank after the fire had already started, and that the snake was simply trying to escape the heat. She shared her feelings in an emotional Facebook post, saying she was devastated by the loss of 18 years' worth of teaching materials.

In her post, Jacobs wrote that she studied veterinary medicine in college with a focus on reptiles and has been a teacher for 18 years. She said she has always kept animals in her classroom and has never had a fire problem before. 'In those 18 years I have never had an animal escape or have any lights or heat emitters cause any fire damage,' she wrote. She believes her animals are a key part of how students learn.

The Forest Fire Department described the scene in a Facebook post of their own. Firefighters had to safely secure Nanner before they could work in the classroom. The department shared a video of the large python curled up under a desk. Crews eventually shut down the sprinkler system and put out the fire, but eight classrooms were damaged by water.

The Fire Marshal's Office told local TV station WDBJ that they believe Nanner's escape caused the fire. The fire marshal said the snake likely slithered out of her cage and knocked over a heat lamp, starting the blaze. He added that Nanner did not mean any harm. 'The snake contributed to starting the fire,' the fire marshal said. 'However, I don't think there was any maliciousness involved on the snake's side.'

Sadly, a tortoise in the classroom was killed during the fire. Jacobs had kept many animals over the years, including snakes, frogs, turtles, and tortoises. She believes these animals helped students in ways that regular lessons cannot. She has since moved all surviving animals out of the school. Jacobs said she hopes her students will still have the same opportunities that animals in the classroom made possible.