Small fire drives students out of school

| 20/11/2019 | 8 Comments
Cayman News Service
John Gray High School, Grand Cayman

(CNS): The John Gray High School (JGHS) campus was evacuated Wednesday morning after a small fire ignited under the stairs at the doorway of one of the modular classrooms. When smoke was spotted just before 8am, the students were immediately evacuated from all buildings and taken to the school fields and muster points in line with the school’s emergency protocol. The Cayman Islands Fire Service was called and the school’s security team put out the small blaze, officials said.

While the students were being secured and accounted for, the fire crews arrived and took over from staff.

“We arrived on the scene at approximately 8:06am to find that the area had already been keenly attended to by the school’s security. Our main goal was to completely cool the area,” a release from the CIFS stated. Fire officers saturated the area with water from the fire truck to prevent a rekindling of the fire and commended the staff at the school for using an extinguisher to put it out in the first instance.

As fire crews were making the classroom safe, students were taken from the muster points to the gymnasium, where they were updated. Meanwhile, the fire crews did a thorough check of the whole campus as well as the site of the small blaze.

JGHS Principal Jon Clark said he was very thankful that there was no injury or harm to anyone and was pleased by the response of staff, students, the security team, CIFS and the RCIPS, who were called and responded.

“Everyone worked very well together. Our primary concern was the safety of our students and staff,” Clark said. “There is no real visible fire damage on the classrooms other than a step leading to the classroom. We will undertake any refurbishing work as needed.”

He added school resumed classes by 10am but the affected classrooms were cordoned off and will not be in use until further notice.

The cause of the fire is now under investigation and the Department of Education Services said it aims to provide a further updates one that is completed.


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Category: Education, Local News

Comments (8)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    How does a fire start under the steps to a modular room? Inquiring minds want to know.

  2. Anonymous says:

    It’s very hard to hold them accountable when you can never the facts. From them. Trying to get a straightforward answer for a straightforward question is like running through a maze with a dentist chasing you to pull a tooth.

  3. Anonymous says:

    1.5 billion dollar budget – High School students in trailers. Oh well, not like they were going to learn anything anyway I suppose.

    13
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  4. Anonymous says:

    Clearly our public education is broken! What are our “leaders” doing about it except blowing more public funds on fancy school buildings?! Poor grades, failing schools, increasing behavioural problems! What’s next, school shootings??!

    Government, please get a grip on this problem! Opposition, please hold Government accountable, that’s your job!!

    10
    • Anonymous says:

      Oh God, please…no…

    • Anonymous says:

      The natural progression from a small fire under the steps of a trailer is to a school shooting???

      This is also the opposite of what your argument suggests. The point here is that it’s a crappy old modular building that was in fire, not some brand new ‘fancy’ building that the Gov’t built.

      Check yourself before you wreck yourself. This is the jghs site that should have had a new campus over a decade ago.

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