Fire damages eight classrooms at Drommedaris Primary School

Pupils from Grade R to Grade 3 at Drommedaris Primary School could not attend school yesterday after a fire damaged their classrooms on Sunday.

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) confirmed the fire broke out at the school, located in Reiger Park, Ekurhuleni, on Sunday and damaged eight classrooms.

“Foundation phase classes are affected, and as such for today, June 6, all Grade R to 3 learners are not at school. GDE officials and the school governing body (SGB) are at the school to come up with a solution on how to accommodate them,” GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona told The Star yesterday.

The department said the SGB was alerted to the fire by one of the school’s general assistants at about 1pm.

Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Services (DEMS) spokesperson William Ntladi told The Star their emergency call centre received a call on Sunday, at 1.57 pm, that the Drommedaris Primary School building was on fire.

Ntladi said firefighters from the Boksburg Central Fire Station responded immediately, with backup from Wadeville, Germiston, Kempton Park and Primrose fire stations.

A team of thirty firefighters attended the call-out, including seven fire engines and utility vehicles.

“On arrival of the initial crews from Boksburg Central Fire Station, five classrooms and three storerooms were burning. Fire suppression was initiated with immediate effect. The school principal, some teachers and some community members were found on scene busy with trying to salvage some school items. Most of the feeding scheme food from the kitchen was saved,” Ntladi said.

The GDE confirmed that eight Foundation Phase (Grade R – 3) classrooms and the school’s storeroom were damaged in the fire.

Ntladi said the cause is not known and the matter is being investigated by fire safety officers and South African Police Service (SAPS) officers.

“An arson case is opened for investigation. Circumstances unknown at this stage,” said Gauteng SAPS spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Sello.

The GDE said it is working to ensure that teaching at the school, as well as the health and safety of pupils, is not compromised.

Meanwhile, there were two other school fires reported in the Free State over the past weekend.

Free State MEC for Education Tate Makgoe visited Dr Block Secondary School in Bloemfontein to assess the damage caused by a fire at the school’s girls hostel on Sunday afternoon.

“We really want to thank God that none of you were seriously hurt and all of you are still alive and grow up to be citizens of this country,” the MEC told the pupils as he encouraged them to share what happened.

The Free State Department of Education said all the pupils were safely evacuated, but three were under observation at Pelonomi Academic Hospital. Many of the pupils lost their belongings.

On Saturday, four Grade 7 classrooms at Mphatlalatsane Combined School in QwaQwa burned down. According to the department, there was no electricity at the school at the time of the blaze.

“There is prima facie suspicion that arson might have been committed here, that is why we are calling on community members to assist law enforcement agencies in apprehending the alleged arsonists,” Makgoe said in a statement on Saturday.

The department said investigations are underway to determine the causes of both fires.

@Chulu_M