Parents apprehensive about asbestos after school fire

Parents of students who were evacuated from Elizabeth Bagshaw Elementary School are concerned for their children’s safety.

Fire broke out in one of the classrooms around last Tuesday morning. The school contained asbestos which may have been disturbed by firefighters. The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board says the asbestos is contained and they are now cleaning up the school, insisting it will ready for kids to return after March Break.

But some parents don’t believe it will be safe.

Concerned parent Brenda Howard: “I’ve worked in the medical field for 20 years. I’m a little concerned about the asbestos.”

“A two-headed monster.” That’s how Atoria Graham described the way she and her brother Diccion looked when they had to share a jacket in the cold after evacuating their school.

“I smelled marshmallows in my classroom and when the fire alarm went off I was pretty brave.”

Fire damage is estimated around $250,000. Students had to leave everything behind: “jacket, bag, lunch pail and boots.”

Parent Mikala Graham says “I’ve had a couple parents complain about a chemical smell on the coats.”

The fire that broke out started on the second floor in an empty classroom. Many of the kids who attend class here their families are on fixed incomes, so Brenda and Mikala have been collecting donations and distributing them to the families.

Brenda: “They’re left with no school supplies. A lot of the parents are on social assistance cant afford to go out and buy it again. It’s for them so when they go back to school its as normal as it can be.”

The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board says the school is currently being cleaned and asbestos will not be an issue. It says the building will be safe for kids to return after the March Break; parents are skeptical, though.

Mikala Graham: “The extent of the damage the smoke damage, everything I don’t believe it would be ready.”

Brenda Howard: “I wanna know how it affected the clothing that they gave back to us, I don’t think its gonna be ready and if it is I’d like proof of it before I put them back there.”

CHCH News talked to Hamilton Police today to get an update on the fire investigation. Initially the Ontario Fire Marshall’s office was called in because of the suspicious nature of the fire. There was concern that arson may have been at play. However police say the OFM is no longer involved and the force’s lead arson investigator, Tim Bower will take over the case. However he is on holidays, and the investigation won’t be picked up until next Monday.