School loses classroom block, canteen in fire

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Firefighters tackle the blaze at SJKC Kiew Nang.

SIBU: A fire broke out at SJKC Kiew Nang in Salim Road here yesterday, razing four classrooms, its canteen and a storeroom.

No injuries were reported in the 4.20pm incident, as all the pupils had gone home and only three teachers present in the administrative block.

The school’s security guard was the first to realise a fire had broken out when he spotted smoke rising from one of the classrooms.

He immediately alerted the teachers to evacuate before contacting the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba).

Firefighters from the Central Road and Ulu Sungai Merah stations were deployed to the scene to douse the flames and prevent further damage.

The partially wooden school has over 300 pupils and 26 teachers.

Contacted over the incident, school board of management chairman Tiong Hock Kieng said he expected losses to be heavy as the fire had razed a wooden block.

“Everything in the block is gone – desks, books…everything,” he said.

He said the school would discuss with the Education Department on the next course of action, and to wait for the report from Bomba as to the cause of the fire.