Music equipment destroyed in fire

Thanks to the quick action by the Fire Brigade of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, the building housing the Curriculum Development Unit in the Ministry of Education was saved from being completely gutted by an inferno last week Thursday.{{more}}

Reports indicate that at about 5 p.m., a loud noise was heard coming from the upper floor of the building. Staff of the Unit, who had been working downstairs, ran outside only to see the upper floor engulfed by smoke and fire.

Nine-year-old Krysten Pompey, of the Kingstown Preparatory School, who was downstairs at the time, said she heard a loud bang, followed by a second. “After I heard this, I saw the lights go out and then I ran outside and told the others there was a fire upstairs,” Pompey recalled.

The fire service was called in and the fire was put out within minutes.

The music room suffered most of the damage as all the equipment was destroyed in that room. Some of the books and documents that are housed in some of the other rooms managed to be salvaged from the heavily waterlogged rooms.

It is speculated that the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault. Police have not yet confirmed whether this is so.

Deputy Chief Education Officer Luis deShong was in high praise for the Fire Department for their swift response.

deShong added that the Ministry of Transport and Works also responded quickly to the call and has already started repairs on the building.

Education Officer/Music Joffre Venner said he was very disappointed by the loss of all the music equipment and that music students will be the ones to suffer the most. Venner estimated the cost of the equipment at approximately $15,000. He said that only a few recorders were saved and that he would now wait for the next move by the authorities.

Investigations are continuing. (KW)