Extensive damage has been caused to a historic building, built in 1888, on the premises of the St Patrick’s CBC Kimberley.
The 48 learners and staff were efficiently and safely evacuated.
The fire started around 23:20 on Monday, 5 May, in the boys’ section of the boarding house. Craig Neave, executive head at St Patrick’s CBC, said staff and learners were promptly relocated to the local Horseshoe Motel in Kimberley.
He said the school is most grateful to the management of the Horseshoe Motel for making space available at such short notice.
In the rush to evacuate the premises, the staff and learners were not able to take anything with them. This resulted in a great loss of personal property.
This includes the matric farewell outfits of the matriculants, as the matric farewell was planned for this weekend, said Andries van der Merwe, head of communication at the school.
On Tuesday, the boarders and staff had been moved into appropriate, alternative accommodation very close to the school. It is unclear exactly what caused the fire, the school stated in a news release.
“The Kimberley fire services were immediately alerted. Unfortunately, their response was too slow to avoid the fire spreading,” the school stated.
Support, prayers appreciated
The St Patrick’s Board of Governors and management appreciate the wonderful support and prayers of the community, Neave concluded.
Some donations of clothing, bedding, toiletries, food and cash have been made, which is helping the learners cope with the loss and trauma.
- Specific items are still needed. Those who can contribute, can drop donations off at the administration office.
- Financial contributions can be made directly into a dedicated account.
- For more information, or to make alternative arrangements, call Van der Merwe on 084 242 2220, Peter Hauman on 071 073 5549, or Francis Hloma on 072 031 9752.
History of school
Christian Brothers’ College Kimberley, the first Christian Brothers’ school in Africa, was founded by the Christian Brothers from Ireland, UK, on 8 September 1897.
It opened its doors on the first day of school to a mere 15 learners, to be joined the next day by a further 22. At that stage, it was still called the Christian Brothers’ High School. The range of subjects was wide, and tuition was offered in six languages – Greek, Latin, English, Dutch, French, and German.
St Patrick’s CBC, as the school is named today, is currently operating for children from the age of one year, to Grade 12.
It is a co-educational school and currently the only school in Kimberley offering the highly accredited Independent Examinations Board (IEB) curriculum.
Small classes and quality staff allow for a very personal approach to learning. The school believes that education is more than just studies and sports, and have created an environment where every child participates in an array of activities, with a special emphasis on their individual strengths.
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