Fire razes decades-old school building

A fire razed an old school building made of wood in barangay South Granada, Boljoon town early yesterday morning.

According to the responding team headed by Fire Officer 2 Victor Jovie Villahermosa, properties that may have been worth P100,000 were lost in the five-minute fire that hit the Granada Elementary School.

Villahermosa said that the blaze started at around 1:00 a.m. inside the principal’s office and was contained after several firefighting units from neighboring towns rushed to the scene to help put out the fire.

Although no injuries were reported, some important documents of the school including computer units and other equipment were reduced to ashes.

Villahermosa pointed out that faulty electrical wirings or the unplugged equipment might have caused the fire. However, he added, that it still is to be confirmed by a thorough investigation.

It was learned that the school was a post-World War II structure and that it had stood for quite a long time because of the town and the province’s efforts on architectural conservation.

The building gutted down by fire served as office of the school principal and as storage area for computers and other equipment. —Garry B. Lao/MEEV