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Fire damages two schools in Kupang

No injuries but tens of thousands of dollars' damage caused by blaze
Fire damages two schools in Kupang
Local residents pass the burned classrooms of two schools in Kupang last week
Published: December 19, 2011 06:25 AM GMT
Updated: December 19, 2011 06:25 AM GMT

Two schools belonging to the Sisters of the Followers of Christ caught fire last week after a short circuit ignited a blaze. Eight classrooms and two offices in the Assumption of Mary Kindergarten and the School for Children with Autism Disorder were burned, though no injuries were reported. “Many facilities of the schools got burned and could not be saved. We were all panicked,” said Sister Redempta, who heads the Bina Wiryawan Foundation that runs the two schools, located near the Assumption Mary Church in Kotabaru. She estimated the cost of damage caused by the fire to be about 300 million rupiah (US$32,967) and said that hundreds of local people tried to assist firefighters to put out the blaze. “I have asked some teachers to collect data on all burned facilities and evaluate the total loss,” she said. Sr Redempta added that the schools, established in 1987 and which serve nearly 200 students, would need support from the community to rebuild after the fire. Fr Rudolf Tjung Lake of Kotabaru parish said he has given permission for nuns to hold classes at a parish hall until repairs to the schools can be completed. “I have coordinated with the parish pastoral council in order to help the nuns following the fire accident. I hope after the school holiday that everything will be ready.”  

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