Members of the Norwalk High School marching band are trying to pick up the pieces after a fire tore through their storage building.

The fire started around 3 a.m. Thursday at the storage shed located on County Street. The blaze destroyed instruments, uniforms and supplies. It's estimated that the fire caused nearly a half-million dollars worth of damage.

The band is under a tight deadline as their first competition is next Saturday, but members said the fire isn't going to stop them.

?The spirit is here,? said Marching Bears Inc. President Jerry Petrini. He added that community members were helping scrub the tubas with steel wool to get the soot out.

Although the marching band gets money from the school board, a good amount of the band?s budget comes from donations and fundraisers. Donations can be dropped off at any Patriot Bank branch.

Related InformationPatriot Bank365 Westport Ave.Norwalk, CT 06851Checks payable to: Marching Bears Inc (MBI)