Harlan Kirgan
Two temporary buildings have arrived at Eunice Elementary and two others are on their way as the school recovers from an Aug. 14 fire that destroyed a classroom and damaged the rest of the building.
A Declaration of Extreme Public Emergency was approved by the St. Landry Parish School Board’s Buildings, Lands and Sites Committee. The declaration goes before the full Board on Sept. 6.
Superintendent Patrick Jenkins said the declaration is recommended by the School Board’s attorney to allow for flexibility in purchases.
Claudia Blanchard, director of operations, said insurance carrier Dupre, Carrier and Godchaux paid a $75,000 advance to the school system to help with the expense of setting up four temporary buildings on the campus.
The scope of work needed at the school has not been determined, she said.
Blanchard credits a quick response by Eunice firefighters in minimizing the damage to the school.
The fire alarm went off at 4:59 a.m. and the firefighters were already on the scene within the 11 minutes that Blanchard was notified, she said.
“We probably could have lost the whole building, but it was a very quick response,” she said.
The origin of the fire is still under investigation, she said, although the preliminary report was it started at a window air conditioning unit.
“I really can’t share any more than that about the origin of the fire until the investigation is complete,” she said.
Fourth-graders who attended classes in the building have been taken to Highland Elementary.
Third-grade classes and a special education class remain at Eunice Elementary.
There will be eight classrooms in the four temporary buildings, which may be set up within 10 days, she said.
The building was approved for a new roof before the fire, but hope has faded that the new roof would be paid through insurance.
The initial assessment is the roof structure was not damaged by the fire, she said.