A significant fire engulfed the technical vocational classrooms and a staff room at John Wesley College in Suva on Friday morning, resulting in the destruction of essential educational facilities. The blaze, which started around 10 am, damages included the technical drawing room, science lab, and home economics room. Fortunately, there were no classes ongoing at the time, as the school is currently in its examination period.
When firefighters from the National Fire Authority (NFA) arrived on the scene, they quickly worked to control the flames with the assistance of police officers, who helped evacuate students and staff. NFA Chief Executive Officer Sowane Puamau noted that a delayed arrival of some fire tankers hindered efforts, stating that if they had arrived earlier, more rooms could have been saved. However, the quick response did manage to preserve the computer lab.
A significant loss was reported as many pieces of valuable equipment from the science, home economics, and technical drawing rooms were destroyed in the fire. In a constructive response, Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro visited the school at midday to assess the situation and discuss future prevention strategies. During his visit, he emphasized the need for fire safety education and the potential for incorporating fire mitigation lessons into the curriculum through expert guidance.
Minister Radrodro reassured the school community that classes will continue as planned next week despite the unfortunate incident. He mentioned that adjustments may be made to internal examinations as needed, depending on the decision of the head of the school.
This incident highlights the importance of fire safety preparedness in schools and presents an opportunity for the community to enhance their safety measures, ensuring a more resilient educational environment in the future.
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