-around 1100 learners displaced
By Tafari Cadogan and Khamisi Slowe
Fire yesterday morning tore through the Mae’s School in Subryanville displacing around 1100 learners and the government is making preparations to assist with their relocation.
At least two firemen were injured as the blaze swept through the old wooden building leaving teachers, parents and students in shock. The cause of the fire is not known at this point.
Mae’s launched in 1992 by Mayfield French as the first private school, after the government had taken over all educational institutions in the 1970s, had developed a stellar reputation. The school was sold last year.
The primary department was completely ruined while the secondary section was damaged.
The fire, which erupted shortly before 8 am, rapidly spread through the wooden structure, reducing much of the school to ashes. A cleaner said she was at work when a student told her that there was smoke. The children were immediately evacuated.
Parents frantically rushed to the scene, desperate to ensure the safety of their children. One parent, visibly shaken, expressed her distress, saying, “I could’ve lost my child today.” Teachers, many of whom were left in tears, struggled to come to terms with the tragedy.
Divisional Fire Officer Andrew Holder, addressing the media on-site, confirmed that upon the fire service’s arrival, the top floor of the building was already engulfed in flames.
“Weather conditions and the age of the wooden structure all contributed to the rapid spread,” Holder explained. “Initially, we employed an aggressive firefighting approach, but due to the heavy combustibles, we had to shift to a defensive strategy to protect our firefighters.”
Holder commended the use of the Bronto Skylifts, which he said were pivotal in containing the fire. “These two firefighting appliances saved the day, as we initially could not gain entry into the building,” he noted. Additionally, he acknowledged the private sector’s support in providing water tankers, including a large tender from Banks DIH.
“Access to water is always a challenge, but their assistance made a significant difference,” Holder said. He also expressed appreciation to the Sheriff fire-fighting team.
David Sugrim, the owner of Mae’s School, recounted the moment he learned about the fire. “Around minutes to eight, my wife called me and said the school was on fire. By the time we got here, the whole building was already completely burned,” he said.
Sugrim emphasized that his main concern is the students’ education. “We’re working closely with the Ministry of Education to ensure that the children can resume classes as soon as possible,” he stated. Plans are already in motion to set up temporary accommodations on the school grounds. “We’ll be using the field, setting up tents, and considering online classes to make sure the students don’t miss too much school, especially those preparing for exams,” he explained.
When asked about the financial loss, Sugrim estimated the damage to be huge, adding that the school was in the process of being insured, but the documentation was not finalized at the time of the fire.
Education Minister Priya Manickchand visited the scene and expressed deep concern for the students, teachers, and families affected by the fire. She assured that the Ministry of Education is committed to ensuring that displaced students, particularly those preparing for national exams, will be accommodated in public schools.
“The government is going to find ways to make sure these children continue to be educated,” Manickchand said.
In a statement, the Ministry of Education reaffirmed its commitment to working alongside the school’s administration to provide resources and support for the affected students. Manickchand was joined by Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn and Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr. Vindhya Persaud, both of whom pledged their respective ministries’ assistance.
Teachers and students of Mae’s School are now grappling with the uncertainty of what lies ahead. One teacher recalled the terrifying moment she realized the school was on fire.
“Around 7:50 am, I was alerted by my colleagues that a fire had started in the Grade 4 hall on the upper level. I immediately rushed to help evacuate the students,” she said.
A guardian described the frantic moments after hearing about the fire on the radio. “I had just dropped off my niece and her brother when I heard about it. I turned my car around immediately and sped back. When I got there, I saw students gathered on the field and found my niece and nephew safe,” he recounted.
A parent who gave his name only as Imran spoke to the media and described the early origins of the fire.
“It was a small fire but when I take the fire extinguisher by then it blow up more. Yeah, it was very fast because everybody is rushing to the field and when I ran up to the classes it was empty just bags and books. There was a few teachers in the building but I told them to clear out. I think it was Grade 4”.
Asked if the fire extinguisher wasn’t enough, he replied: “No, it wasn’t. It was a big one, but I tried, but I couldn’t pick it up… So I dropped it and told the cleaner run, because if I hadn’t dropped it, it would have been a problem”.
Noting that his son goes to the school, he added: “Yeah, the smoke was coming through the lid in the attic. So I just run up to make sure my son was ok…when I opened his class first nobody was there and then I open to see where it was coming from.
“When I opened this class first, nobody was there. Then I ran over to see if it was coming from the other class. When I go in the room, one of the teachers say it wasn’t there so I go to the next room and I just grabbed the extinguishers”.
Despite the devastating loss, Mae’s School is determined to rebuild. In a statement, the administration confirmed that all students and staff were safely evacuated. The statement asked parents to maintain contact with their child’s/children’s respective class teachers to stay abreast of all ongoing developments, as they become available.
The school thanked the government and emergency responders for their swift action and reassured parents that efforts are underway to resume classes as soon as possible.
Manickchand reassured parents and students that the Ministry of Education would take swift action to ensure students do not lose valuable learning time.
“We are in contact with other schools, and discussions are already underway to find placements for students preparing for the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) exams,” she said.
Also offering support at the scene was Deputy Chief Education Officer for School Support, Fazia Baksh. She spent time comforting parents, teachers, and students, emphasizing that the Ministry of Health had extended assistance by providing psychological support for those affected.
Following the fire, President Irfaan Ali met at State House with the school’s owners, staff, and several parents. He emphasized that while Mae’s is a privately operated institution, its students are the nation’s children, and the government will provide support to ensure their swift return to learning.
A special committee, comprising teachers, parents, and school owners, has been established to develop a plan for moving forward. Additionally, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security will provide counseling services for students, parents, and teachers affected by the traumatic event.
In an effort to minimize disruptions to students’ education, the Georgetown International Academy (GIA) has agreed to accommodate 350 students. Other privately owned institutions have also offered to assist, and alternative arrangements are being explored to ensure all students can resume classes as soon as possible.
