Santa Rosa City Schools this month approved a plan to reconstruct a kitchen heavily damaged by a fire in August.

The Aug. 21 fire started when maintenance workers left floor mats on the stove overnight, according to Associate Superintendent Doug Bower.

Damage to the kitchen, which is used to prepare foods served through the school’s hot lunch and snack program, is expected to cost the district more than $185,600 to fix. Insurance will cover the cost, Bower said.

The project includes stripping the kitchen main room to the structural framing and reconstructing the original finishes, according to the staff report. The work will also include removal of previously encapsulated asbestos flooring.

The bulk of the work is expected to be conducted over the winter break, Bower said. The project could be complete in January.

Food service has been moved temporarily to a neighboring room and food service was not disrupted, Bower said.

The fire occurred after school hours. Bower declined to comment on what, if any, discipline the maintenance workers faced.