About 160 pupils of the Farandole School in McMasterville will been attending class elsewhere this fall after the three-storey building suffered serious damage in an early morning blaze that firefighters suspect to be arson.
The fire began just after 6:00 a.m. in an area behind the school at des Saules St. and 3rd Ave. and quickly spread to the rest of the building, built about 60 years ago.
About 80 firefighters attempted to quell the flames but the building is a total loss, police say.
“It’s a big piece (of the community) that will be gone. I hope they’ll be able to rebuild it, but…” said Lyne Poisson, who has been living beside the school since 1996.
Substitute teacher Christiane Perron has worked at more than fifty schools in the school board. She said this one was special because the staff sticks together and the students are enthusiastic.
“It's very sad because I just retired two months ago and I find it sad that it's ending like this. I mean a lot of kids will miss this school. It's a really nice school,” she said.
McMasterville is a town of about 6,000 which sits on the South Shore, about 30 kilometres east of Montreal.
The next challenge will be relocating the students to other schools for the next school year. One parent said there was already a shortage of schools in the area.
A representative from the Patriotes school board said they will do their best to find a place where they can keep the students and staff together.
They've begun ordering teaching materials and computers and will meet with parents and staff in August to ensure as smooth a transition as possible.
