Investigators probing the Christ Church Secondary School arson are currently making efforts to identify a man who was reportedly seen close to the school shortly before the fire started last Thursday afternoon.
Stabroek News was reliably informed that the man was reportedly spotted in an alleyway located next to the school moments before the fire. Reports are that the fire started at approximately 5:25 pm with only smoke seen emanating from the section of the building situated on Camp Street.
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) was summoned and upon their arrival, fire-fighters entered the building in an effort to identify the exact location of the fire.
Within minutes, the entire upper flat of the building was completely destroyed and the ground floor was gutted.
Days after, a GFS investigation concluded that the fire was an act of arson. In a press release, the GFS had said that there were several points of origin of the fire. On January 4th, the GFS was also summoned to the school around 4:30 pm after receiving information that smoke was emanating from the building.
Acting Fire Chief, Gregory Wickham had said although initially believing it was a fire, investigations found that several chemicals being stored in the Science laboratory were released and caused a combustion. The chemicals were subsequently removed from the building. At the time of the fire, the school’s premises was secured by Atlas Security Service. An official of the firm, who wished not to be named had told this newspaper that one of the guards who was on duty contacted the company’s office last Thursday afternoon upon noticing fire coming from the school building. “I can say that one of the ranks that was on that location made contact with the office shortly after they saw fire coming from the building and they were advised by this office to get to a safe space, taking the security diary with them,” the woman explained.
By that time, she said the GFS had already been informed.
The school catered for 502 students, 39 teachers and nine ancillary staff.
Following the fire, students were engaged in online classes. However, face-to-face classes will resume on Monday at the Cyril Potter College of Education.
