QC school starts classes despite over 20 classrooms burned before opening

Despite a fire that hit an old building and affected more than 20 classrooms a day before the scheduled school opening, San Francisco High School in Barangay Santo Cristo, Quezon City, proceeded with its classes on June 16.

The blaze broke out around 10:55 a.m. on Sunday, June 15, and quickly escalated from first to third alarm in under 15 minutes due to the structure’s mostly wooden composition.

“Nag-under control ng 11:30 at fire out ng 11:58,” said Fire Chief Inspector Marvin Mari, chief of operations at the Quezon City fire district.

According to the school principal, Dr. Marissa Lou Rodriguez, the fire wiped out eight classrooms on the second floor used by over 600 Grades 9 and 10 students, as well as faculty offices, the library, and the conference hall.

The Bureau of Fire Protection said the walls that divided the rooms were also wooden, which allowed the flames to spread rapidly across the two-storey structure.

“Sunog lahat, kahit iyong mga division ng rooms wala na po lahat” said Christian Tanggin of the Filipino Department, mourning the loss of chairs, cabinets, books, and important documents.

The Department of Education (DepEd) said that despite the incident, classes would proceed as scheduled today, June 16.

“For the meantime, students will use the PAGCOR building, which is being used by the Senior High School,” the agency said in a statement.

Senior high students will adopt a two-shift schedule to make space for the displaced junior high school sections.

Students were also advised to wear face masks due to lingering smoke and particles in the area.

The estimated losses exceed Php 3 million, including nearly 400 student chairs, desks, books, and computers.

Quezon City First District Representative Arjo Atayde visited the site and vowed assistance from his office and the city government.

As of press time, the cause of the fire remains under investigation by arson probers.