A fire at the North Eleuthera High School yesterday morning, which destroyed the central block, was an act of arson, Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade said.
The fire was reported to police shortly before 4 a.m., police said. Volunteer firefighters on the island along with residents battled the blaze for several hours, police noted.
Although the fire had already been contained when Greenslade traveled to the island yesterday along with a number of fire department officials, an entire block of classrooms had already been destroyed.
North Eleuthera Member of Parliament Theo Neilly, who was on scene, said the school’s library, physical education room and social studies and resource center was lost, but no other building was damaged.
“The officers were immediately given instructions to set about working and within a short period of time the fire chief was able to brief me, and indicated that it was the work of an arsonist here in Eleuthera,” Greenslade said.
“That fire was intentionally set to the school and were it not for divine providence and good work on the part of the MP for this area, Mr. Neilly, along with the police leadership, community volunteers and the fire services here, we could have lost a lot more property.
Greenslade said the police team collected quite a bit of scientific research that will hopefully produce some good results.
“We are not groping in the dark,” he said. “It is the clear work of an arsonist and we are making an appeal now for the community to tell us what they know about this.”
Around 200 students attend the school, which was closed yesterday.
Neilly said the school’s principal, teachers and staff as well as parents were advised about plans to relocate the students to a temporary location during a meeting with the commissioner, and the district superintendent for education.
In a separate interview, Director of Education Lionel Sands said the district superintendent was scouting the island for a location that could be used to house the students of the lost classrooms until the end of the term.
He said he believes the school will reopen this morning.
“She is looking around in the community to see if we can find an adequate space within the community to contain those students for the rest of the term,” Sands said.
Greenslade also said that as police search for the suspected arsonist, plans are being discussed to strengthen security at the school in light of the incident.
The price tag for the lost central block could be significant, according to Greenslade, who said the children have been displaced as they prepare for their exams.
“It speaks to this level of criminality and how much of an adverse affect it has on our community,” the police commissioner said.
By Royston Jones, Jr.
Guardian Staff Reporter
