Students at Southern Okanagan Secondary School won’t be heading back to class until next week at the earliest.
The district needs to find room for nearly 500 students, along with desks, copmputers and books.
Some of the students may have to attend classes at schools in neighbouring towns, at the Oliver Community Center or at the Sonora Center in Osoyoos.
Firefighters were able to save about 40 percent of the school.
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If the smoke and water damage isn’t too severe it is possible the surviving sections of the school could be back in service in a couple of weeks.
The fire started just before 2:30 a.m. Monday morning and quickly engulfed the entire school.
Within ten minutes of arriving at the fire, Oliver firefighters requested mutual aid support from Okanagan Falls and Osoyoos were fire departments.
The fire appeared to be concentrated in the administration area and the East Wing, which is still under construction.
Renovations on the school began 18 months ago.
Firemen attempted to save as much of the historic school auditorium and parts of the newly renovated secondary school as possible.
“This morning’s fire is a real tragedy in so many ways,” said Mayor Pat Hampson.
One report stated the fire possibly started in a dumpster in from of the East Wing.
The only structures left on the school grounds that didn’t burn down are the new gymnasium and the portables.
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