Fire guts classrooms, offices in Batanes town
Batanes. INQUIRER FILES
CAUAYAN CITY — A fire gutted several classrooms and offices at Basco Central School in Basco town, Batanes on Sunday, March 16, forcing the suspension of classes on Monday.
According to Roldan Esdicul, provincial disaster risk reduction and management officer, in-person classes were suspended to ensure the safety of students. They were asked to attend asynchronous classes via modular or online learning.
The fire destroyed 20 rooms and offices, including the principal’s office, administrative office, and library.
Firefighters declared fire out at 3:38 p.m. on Sunday.
No casualties were reported, except for a fire volunteer who accidentally stepped on a nail.
Firefighters in Basco responded immediately, but strong winds caused by the northeast monsoon intensified the blaze. Fire volunteers from Batan Island in Sabtang later arrived to assist in extinguishing the fire.
The school’s utility building remained unscathed, so school officials plan to use it for classes after an inspection.
The cause of the fire and the estimated cost of the damage are still under investigation.
