A significant fire occurred on Friday morning at John Wesley College in Suva, resulting in the destruction of various technical vocational classrooms and a staff room. The blaze ignited around 10 am, impacting the technical drawing room, science lab, and home economics room, but fortunately, no classes were in session due to the ongoing examination period.
Upon arrival, officers from the National Fire Authority (NFA) were seen actively battling the fire, with police assisting in evacuating students and teachers from the premises. NFA CEO Sowane Puamau expressed regret over the timing of the fire trucks, noting that earlier arrival might have mitigated the extent of the damage, though he was relieved that the computer lab was saved.
Following the incident, Mr. Nazid assessed the damage, which he noted was substantial, especially regarding equipment in the science, home economics, and technical drawing departments.
Midday, Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro visited the school and engaged with the principal about the incident. He emphasized the importance of learning from such accidents and suggested that fire experts could provide students with valuable training in fire safety and mitigation strategies. Furthermore, he indicated that the NFA would assess the building’s safety standards to enhance future resilience.
Importantly, Mr. Radrodro reassured the public that the fire would not disrupt classes in the upcoming week, and adjustments regarding internal examinations would be handled by the school administration as needed.
In summary, while the fire at John Wesley College caused considerable destruction, the swift response from authorities and the school’s commitment to maintaining normal operations demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity. This incident serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of fire safety education and infrastructure resilience in educational establishments.
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