One School and a Home go up in flames!

or “Shit happens to good folks too” !

A fire yesterday gutted both the Duna Elementary School in West Taraka and also Eli’s parents home.

The story was reported in this morning’s issue of the Post Courier as follows:

GRIM FUTURE: Some of the pupils from Duna Elementary School with parents and relatives stand
ing in front of the burnt shell of their classroom

By PORENI UMAU

HE future looks gloomy for 157 elementary school students in Lae after their classroom was gutted by fire yesterday morning. Students attending Duna Elementary School in West Taraka, a feeder school of the
nearby Gantom Primary School, were forced out of the building when it went up in flames at 8.45am.

Pupils in preparatory, elementary one and two classes are now without a classroom and it is not known when a new classroom will be built. The school board member, Jonah Gorape said that the children were by themselves when the fire broke out.

He said that the terrified children alarmed their parents who rushed to the scene but they could not do much as the whole building was already alight.  Mr Gorape said that attempts by parents to get into the
building were not possible as the interior was blocked by flames, which spread fast on dry material in its way.

“We only stood and watched as there was nothing much we could do and the nearest water supply was useless,” Mr Gorape said. He said that Lae police and the fire service would investigate the fire and deter-
mine the cause.

Meanwhile, Mr Gorape appealed to the provincial government to help the children to continue their education. “It is almost to the end of the second term and we do not want our children to stay at home doing nothing,”Mr Gorape said. The school was started in 1998.

(In the meantime Eli headed down to Lae this morning to be with her parents during this difficult time. My heart goes out to Eli’s parents - they sacrificed there lives for the benefit of those around them - they are basically givers and contributors. Unfortunately all there possessions were destroyed in yesterday’s fire.)