School complex into ashes
NAHA Community High School in Honiara lost one of its two-storey buildings in an early morning blaze on Thursday.
The building, which houses classrooms, an office, and store room, was razed to the ground.
“This is a huge loss for the school,” a gutted principal John Francis Mamani told the Solomon Star at the school ground yesterday.
“This building costs us nearly half a million dollars,” he added.
“In fact this is my first project at Naha school when I assumed my current role in 2011.
“We used part of our school fees and raise funds to build this double-storey build.
“In 2012 we officially opened the building, much to the joy of staff and students.
“So to lose it this way is truly heartbreaking,” Mr Mamani said.
He added they not only lost a fine building, but also computers, furniture, and other valuable school items.
“We have lost an asset worth more than $500,000 in this fire,” he said.
Police are still investigating the cause of the fire.
The building accommodates two form six classes, one form 3 class, and the office of their form six tutor.
Mr Mamani said some of his forms 3, 5, and 6 students were studying in the nearby classrooms when the fire started.
“These students have been given permission to use the classrooms to study at night because they don’t have electricity at home,” the principal explained.
He added the building that was burned down has had its electricity disconnected so no one should be studying in there.
“But we suspect some of the students may have used candles to do their studies in that building.
“They may have left their candles on after they went to sleep. This may be the cause of the fire.
“But this is just our suspicion. The police will need to talk to the students.
“As far as I am concerned, this is not a case of arson. It may have been an accident.”
He praised his students for helping to keep the fire confined to the building while they wait for the fire truck to arrive.
“I arrived at the scene after I heard students shouting when the fire started.
“We tried putting off the fire during its initial stages but to no avail.”
He said this was because the fire started at the ground floor inside the building and spread to the walls and roof.
“I rang 999, but there was no response. So I called Central Police station and a woman on the front desk answered and I informed her about the fire incident.
“About 40 minutes late, a fire truck arrived and put off the fire on the building,” Mr Mamani said.
He said if the Fire Truck did not arrive, the fire might spread to the nearby buildings.
The school suspended classes yesterday and today because of the tragedy.
Police and education authorities arrived in the morning to investigate and inspect the school.
Mr Mamani appeals to responsible education authorities to help his school rebuild the classroom building.
“The Honiara City Council and the government should help us to rebuild the building because it will affect the classes of our form 3, form 5 and form 6,” he said.
Mr Mamani said the school is looking at an alternative to allow the three forms to continue before their exams on the second week of November.
Naha CHS has enrolled more than 1300 students.
This included 450 in primary school and 860 in secondary classes.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
