The fire is believed to be the product of a lightning strike following a sudden and severe thunderstorm.
An update to this story was posted at 9:10 p.m.
ROWE - Massachusetts State Police are reporting that the Rowe Elementary School on Pond Road in the small Franklin County town is on fire.
Information is limited at this time but the fire is believed to be the product of a lightning strike started by a sudden and severe thunderstorm. The blaze erupted around 4:30 p.m. Saturday with firefighters from several companies responding to put out the fire.
Several alarms have been sounded. Firefighters in Greenfield and Charlemont have been called to assist. A nearby resident told WCVB-TV that the fire engulfed the school's roof.
School and town officials were not immediately available for comment.
According to the school's web site, about 60 students attend Rowe Elementary.
CBS3 Springfield meteorologist Mike Skurko said the storm was an burst that was not part of a predictable storm front.
"In the case of today, there was no front or larger storm system to sort of watch as it moves across the country. The only indication we had was that it was hot and humid," Skurko said, adding that the intense storm hovered over the Charlemont area for a prolonged period of time and fizzled out around 5:30.
Aside from the threat of lightning strikes, the rains poses a risk of flash flooding. Skurko said the National Weather Service estimated three to four inches of rain had fallen over Charlemont by 4:30 p.m.
Masslive will update as more information comes available.
Material from the Associated Press was included in this report.