All five classrooms and equipment at Baulevu Primary School were destroyed in a fire on Saturday, March 22, 1989. Police suspected arson, and a fire investigator was called in to determine the cause, according to a report in The Fiji Times two days later.
Shocked committee members were planning to build makeshift sheds to accommodate the 110 students of the Shantiketan Pathshala, located about 35 km from Nausori. The rural school, built in 1950, served a large farming community in the Bucalevu area and was destroyed in less than 45 minutes. It was not insured.
“We were powerless to stop the fire. It was so fierce,” said school treasurer Vijendra Prasad. “No one could approach the building because of the intense heat and there was no fire-fighting equipment. Nothing was saved—the books, chairs, desks, and office equipment were all destroyed. Damage must be more than $150,000.”
Schoolboy Saneshwar Singh, 15, ran nearly 1 km to alert neighbors after he saw flames leaping from the school office. More than 60 people rushed to the scene, but the lack of a proper water supply, a strong breeze, and the intense heat hampered their efforts to save the building.
“I was standing outside my house when I saw flames leaping from the office windows,” Saneshwar recalled. “I ran to alert the neighbors who live some distance away, and by the time we got to the school, the fire was well advanced. I noticed the fire at about 1 pm, and by 1:45 pm everything was over.”
When a team from The Fiji Times visited the school, charred school books were strewn on the ground, and the floor was thick with ash. Only the walls of the building were standing, and the thin roof had caved in.
“We have given so much for this school, and now it looks like some irresponsible person has destroyed all our efforts,” said Suresh Kumar. “Now our children have nowhere to go to school. People here are too poor to afford to send their kids by bus to schools that are far away. If nothing is done, our children’s education will be in danger.”
Treasurer Mr. Prasad expressed concern over the loss of the school but was more worried that students would have no classrooms until alternative arrangements were made. He said the school committee would seek help from the Ministry of Education to set up makeshift classrooms.
“The most important thing is the children’s education, and we will ensure that their classes return to normal as soon as possible,” he said.
Committee members believed the fire started in the office. An office window, which had been closed on the afternoon of Friday, March 21, was found open on Saturday, March 22, when the first people arrived at the scene. The school did not have an electricity supply.
“We feel that it is beyond reasonable doubt that the fire was caused by somebody intentionally,” the committee members stated. “There is no way the fire could have started by itself, but we must await the fire report.”
A team of detectives from the Nausori Police Station arrived on Saturday afternoon to speak to witnesses.