FRANKLIN—The former Hayden School building was the scene of a small fire late Saturday night.

Franklin Fire and Rescue Deputy Chief Mark Carr said the blaze started between 10:30 p.m. and midnight, causing minimal structural damage to the building on Oak Street.

“The fire amounted to debris burning in a hallway,” he said.

According to Carr, the cause of the fire is under investigation.

“The fire does appear to be suspicious in nature,” he said. Some items from the building have been sent to a lab to determine how the fire started.

“It will be a couple of weeks before we get a result,” Carr said.

The city is currently removing items from the building in anticipation of its sale to a group headed by Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia.

The building, after renovation, is slated to house apartments for senior citizens, an adult day-care center, a commercial kitchen, a Head Start center, Senior Services offices, medical support offices and a heritage museum.