Classroom sessions at Canje Secondary School were brought to a halt on Tuesday morning following another grass fire in close proximity to the educational institution.
It was the second such fire to affect the school within days.
The fire reportedly started in a field situated adjacent to Canje Secondary School. When this publication arrived at the scene, classes had already been suspended.
Reports are that all of the students were sent home while the teachers were relocated.
Residents told this publication smoke was seen coming from the area at about 10:00h,
Uvita Mangru said her daughter had to lock herself in her room to avoid the smoke since she suffers from asthma.
The Government part-time worker, who also works at the school, said it is very difficult for residents and students to cope with the smoke.
“It is too much. All over in the house is smoke,” she added as the thick smoke got the better of her, forcing an end to her comments.
Her livestock were also affected by the smoke; its impact on them is still to be known.
Meanwhile, 83-year-old Sunmattie Singh sat under her house and could hardly open her eyes.
She said the smoke was burning her eyes.
“You can’t get to go anything because of the smoke,” the pensioner pointed out.
Baba Seda, who also lives at Cumberland Village, claimed that his pets, which include caged birds, have been affected by the smoke emanating from the burning grass.
“Sometimes you have to lock up the house and go away until it ease up. It ease up right now so I come back home.”
The man explained that he would go some distance away and wait for the wind direction to change before returning.
Firefighters were monitoring to grass fire and trying to prevent the spread.
Meanwhile, this is the second fire in the vicinity of Canje Secondary School within a matter of days.
“This one at the school was more terrible… We could stay in here,” Seda noted.
The fire in the school compound last Friday is said to have been caused by someone setting a garbage heap alight.
It reportedly got out of control thus destroying all of the vegetation in its path and also a section of the perimeter fence.
