Saskatoon students will return to class on time despite high school blaze, board
Students of a Saskatoon high school that was damaged by a fire last week will return to class on Sept. 2, but the school board says it will be a 'unique situation.'
Students at Bethlehem Catholic High School in Saskatoon are returning to classes on September 2, despite a fire that damaged the school last week. The Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools' board chair, Diane Boyko, assured reporters that the school will be back in session "on time," despite some modifications to the classes. The fire broke out in a construction area attached to the school around 10:30 p.m. on August 7, destroying four new portables.
The school currently has 22 portables, some of which sustained smoke and water damage. The board is assessing the extent of the damage to these portables, which could either be repaired or rebuilt once a report is received. Fire investigators are currently working to identify the cause of the blaze and estimate the damages. All portables will be unavailable when school starts in September, but the board is devising a plan to accommodate the school's 1,500 students in the main building.
Boyko expressed gratitude to the fire and emergency crews for their swift response, which helped prevent further damage in the main body of the school. While the exact cost of the damages is unknown, Boyko noted that each new portable costs $700,000. Saskatoon police are also investigating the fire, referring to it as "suspicious."
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