The morning after the devastating fire in an old school building in Sint Maarten, a picture of significant damage and debris remains. In the early morning light it is clearly visible that most of the building has been washed away. Only a small, unstable remnant still stands, surrounded by piles of rubble and burned material.
The fire brigade has been busy in recent hours extinguishing the fire and securing the remaining structure.
Emergency rooms are spared
According to reporter Kelly Blok, the fire caused ‘total devastation’. The burned school building was empty. Lessons were given to students in the adjacent temporary classrooms. Due to the fire, classes at De Zwerm primary school were canceled today.
Safety region spokesperson Janine Morreman reports that the fire is now under control, but that extinguishing it and securing the location will take some time. “More than a third of the building has been demolished to prevent the fire from spreading further. Fortunately, the emergency buildings were spared,” says Morreman.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but reports suggest the fire may have started at the front door. The rapid spread of the flames caused the building to be ablaze within a short time.
The impact of the fire can be felt in the neighborhood. A local resident reported that there are problems with the power supply, possibly caused by the major fire last night.