School on Alert

Everybody was in a panic!



It was a Fun Friday in our school, 2 pm., August 6, 2004 where school children showcased their talents in singing and dancing at the open stage of the school premises when a fire broke out at the back of the Grade 1 building.

My seven teachers rushed toward me alarmed and uneasy with the situation, some children were nowhere to find a place brought about by the fire at the nearby house 2 meters away from the school building of Grade one class. The solid smoke above had created shock to the eyes of everybody. Approximately, it was about 40 meters away from the open stage.

Using the megaphone in my hand, I told everybody to calm down and stay put from where they are. I hurried to where the incident happened and there were already folks helped extinguished the fire pails and dippers of water at the kitchen portion of the house using pails and dippers of water.

Almost 30 minutes was spent when the fire was put out.

The owner of the house said it was a dust fire that started on the anahaw roof. It was her wife who was about to cook using piece of papers and firewoods,

The barangay captain, who was there already to control the crowd, said that there were no determined damages of the fire. He concluded that it was the negligence on the part of the household that caused the fire.

After some talk with the barangay officials who were there, I went back to the school campus and advised the teachers to get back infront of the open stage to continue our activity. It was already 3:00 p.m. that time. They guided their pupils to be in their proper places once again.    

As part of the activity that same afternoon, I had a chance to speak to the crowd of children about the importance of being cautious and watchful of everything they do in the house or even outside their homes.

I made clear to the children that negligence can put everyone to danger like what happened to the school’s...