By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
A fire gutted the main building of the Colegio de Sta. Rita in Negros Occidental’s San Carlos City on Monday night, August 14, causing damage worth more than P18 million.
Fire Marshall Rufino Tañedo, Jr. of the city’s Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said initial investigation revealed the fire started at the school’s accounting office before it spread to the main building.
Tañedo added the nursing laboratory and registrar’s office were not reached by the blaze.
He said they received the fire call past 7:00 p.m.
The BFP had difficulty responding to the blaze as the gates were too small for the firetrucks to enter.
However, they were able to utilize the school’s rear entrance gate and immediately worked on putting out the fires.
The blaze reached the third alarm status, prompting them to ask for help from other BFP units in neighboring municipalities of Toboso, Calatrava and Don Salvador Benedicto, and Escalante City.
A BFP unit from the neighboring Negros Oriental’s Vallehermoso town even responded to help control the blaze.
The fire lasted for several hours and a “fire out” was declared at 12:11 a.m.
A college security guard told investigators that an explosion was heard and the building experienced a power outage around 6:00 p.m.
However, he was unsure if the explosion was directly attributed to the fire.
A few minutes later, he saw smoke coming out from the second floor, near the treasurer’s office.
Meanwhile, in a radio interview, school registrar Sr. Damiana de Tafalla A.R. said around 800 students were affected by the blaze.
The school was forced to temporarily suspend classes for both senior high school and college students.
Tafalla said they are currently holding meetings with school officials to discuss options on how they can hold classes for the affected students.
She added that the building was undergoing renovation before the blaze.
Since the building is also insured, she said it is possible that it could be demolished and to construct another one.
Furthermore, the city government is also eyeing to assist in-house scholars affected by the blaze.
In a statement yesterday, City Mayor Renato Gustilo said he was saddened to see one of the city’s iconic buildings ablaze.
“It has long been the city’s mighty edifice for decades, that resembled a great institution of quality Christian education that shaped thousands of lives,” Gustilo said.
He added that the building may have fallen, but the values and teachings remain, as its true foundation are those who passionately impart their knowledge to every student who seeks to learn, and wants to build a better future.
Built in 1934, the Colegio de Sta. Rita is considered a historical landmark in the city.
The school is run by nuns from the Augustinian Recollect Congregation./DGB, WDJ