A suspicious fire destroyed an abandoned school in Powerview-Pine Falls, Man., Saturday night.
RCMP say they were called to the site of the former school on Walnut Street around 9:30 p.m. and found the local fire department battling the flames.
Units from the Lac du Bonnet and Sagkeeng First Nation departments were en route to assist when Mounties arrived, a press release says.
Local resident Nadine Roy lives two blocks from the site and ran to it when she heard it was on fire.
“Must have been at least a hundred people showed up,” she said in an email to Global News.
Roy said the building had fallen into neglect in recent years and had been victim to vandalism in the last few months.
“Some of us long-time residents were in tears.”
The school, built in 1926, once housed the community’s elementary and high school populations but closed in 2007. The building was designated a historic site by the Manitoba Historical Society.
The community is discussing a possible monument for it, Roy said.
The Office of the Fire Commissioner has been notified as the fire appears to be suspicious in nature. No one was hurt.
Anyone with information is asked to call RCMP at 204-367-8728 or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at manitobacrimestoppers.com.