Efforts to put out fire futile, say school staff

MULU: Teachers and staff at SK Batu Bungan, alerted by shouts for help, tried frantically to put out the pre- dawn fire that razed the school teachers’ quarters on Wednesday, but their efforts were futile as the flames spread very fast.

The blaze claimed the life of teacher Catherine Janet Tiwi and injured two others.

A cook at the school was traumatised by the tragic incident.

According to an Education Department report, several teachers, supporting staff and the security guard immediately sprang into action after the fire was spotted at 5.10am, while one teacher Gayang Medang hopped on a motorbike and rushed to alert the Fire and Rescue station at Mulu Airport.

The firefighters arrived at the scene at 5.40pm and did their best to put out the fire, which destroyed the wooden quarters in mere minutes.

It was only after the roll- call for students and teachers was conducted that those present realised one female teacher was unaccounted for — firefighters later discovered her charred remains among the rubbles.

Deputy Minister of Education Teo Nie Ching, who flew to Mulu on Thursday, was briefed by the officers at SK Batu Bungan yesterday morning.

She also visited the injured teacher Masrina Nian at Mulu Rural Clinic, and Syuhada Azhari at the intensive care unit of Miri Hospital.

Teo was accompanied by Sarawak Education director Dr Rakayah Madon, Baram District Education officer Sharipah Azizah, SK Batu Bungan headmaster Molly Ping Lenjau, parentteacher association ( PTA) chairman Jeffrey Simon.

The cause of fire is still under investigation.

It is learnt that there were five female teachers staying at Block 3B, while the 20 pupils were staying at the hostel of the school, which hosted an Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah ( UPSR) motivation camp.

Catherine and four other teachers accompanied the children from SK Penghulu Baya Mallang, which was just downriver at Long Terawan in Tutoh, while three teachers were from SK Long Panai at the Apoh River.

The two participating UPSR students and five teachers from downriver SK Penghulu Baya Mallang arrived at SK Batu Bungai at about 5pm on July 24, while the second group of seven students and three teachers from Long Panai arrived at 6pm.

The participants and teachers attended the opening ceremony at 8.30pm before retiring for the night at 9.30pm.