PTA: Mayaro Govt school a fire hazard

On Thursday afternoon an electric breaker in a standard one classroom overheated and began smoking .

Reports are that the school disconnected the electrical supply and instructed students to gather at the school’s muster point. MP for Mayaro Rushton Paray said the problem was contained and classes were suspended .

But PTA president Dexter Douglas, on Saturday, accused Paray and school officials of giving false information to the media .

“They did not evacuate the school or send students to the muster point,” Douglas said .

“They moved children to another class and the children remained in school. They did not even contact the Fire Service until the PTA intervened.” Douglas said fire officers then contacted T&TEC as it was primarily an electrical issue and T&TEC recommended that the breaker be changed .

“School went on as normal the next day.” He fears, however, that the overheating would have weakened the copper brackets and made the wires more susceptible to fire, thus requiring more than a change of breaker. Douglas also said the school does not have a functioning fire hose with an independent water supply and its fire extinguisher had not been serviced in years. All of these problems, along with their concerns about the school being guarded by only one security officer, were protested by the PTA all of last week .

The PTA has scheduled an emergency meeting for tomorrow to determine the best approach to having their issues addressed .