By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

CLASSES at Uriah McPhee Primary School were dismissed early yesterday due to a fire and smoke accumulation.

A video showed fire alarms ringing as someone tried to extinguish a fire in a room’s corner. The fire continued to ignite.

Acting Director of Education Dominique McCartney-Russell said students will be placed on the virtual learning platform today.

She said the fire was localised to the second floor of the building in a utility room. Students and staff were evacuated to a pavilion area.

She said the area would be cleaned to ensure the safety of staff and students.

She said all of the ministry’s schools must conduct fire drills. She said most schools completed those drills last week and this week.

“Uriah McPhee held their drill on Thursday of last week, and they were able to evacuate everybody in under three minutes, I’m advised, and so that really prepared them for what transpired today,” she said.

Bahamas Union of Teachers president Belinda Wilson said the fire department and the Ministry of Education mobilised quickly, and she awaits the outcome of the investigation and the alternative plan for resuming classes at the school.