Exploding power source leads to temporary evacuation at St John’s

An explosion, which from all indications was electrical in nature, caused students of the St John’s College to be evacuated this morning, before personnel from the Guyana Fire Service cleared the way for them to be returned.

When this newspaper arrived on the scene, a fire truck was in front of the school and the students were already assembled at the nearby Parade Ground.

St John's students waiting on Parade Ground for the all-clear
St John’s students waiting on Parade Ground for the all-clear

The head teacher of the school refused to speak with members of the media.

An official from the Department of Education was also on the scene, but he too did not divulge any information.

A vendor who sells outside the school said that she heard an explosion, which appeared to have originated from power line connecting the school to the power pole. “It made a hard noise and when I looked I saw smoke was coming from the [electrical connection],” she said.

She said the school bell then rang and the students filed out in an orderly manner and assembled at the Parade Ground.