Nine classrooms, four restrooms, the kitchen, and seven storage rooms were destroyed in a fire that erupted at the school on Monday morning before schooling started for the day. The devastating fire resulted in grade 12 preliminary examinations being pushed back.

Close to 60 matrics were meant to write the Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy Paper but now await information on the way forward from the department’s district office. While the cause of the fire is unknown at this stage, the department alleges the community planned a shutdown in Britstown on Monday. Jack has appealed to community members to come forward with any information on the cause of the fire.

Incidentally, the high school’s hostel building burned down in 2016 and is set to be demolished after a contractor is appointed by September 15.

Aside from alluding to the involvement of foul play, a trend is noticed in the torching of schools in recent years. The fire at Theron High School occurs nearly a year after the Sutherland High School was partially ruined, with seven classrooms, an admin block, staff room and the school hall being destroyed. In May 2018, 11 classrooms at the Sonskyn Intermediate School in Marydale were burned. It is yet to be determined if any arrests have been made in connection with previous fires.

Fire at Theron High School in Britstown https://t.co/Ju2LWCHxRh #Fire @BurnshieldZA pic.twitter.com/gJIZfWxQLC

— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) August 26, 2019

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