Fire closes Greenall High School in Balgonie

Greenall High School will be closed Monday, following a Saturday morning blaze.

Although no injuries were reported, the school’s construction and carpentry labs were damaged in the fire.

A statement from the school says the school will be closed for cleaning and to allow residual smoke to clear.

“With the provincial teachers’ withdrawal of service on Tuesday, this means that classes are tentatively scheduled to resume at Greenall on Wednesday, Jan. 17. The school and Education Centre will communicate confirmation to students and families when more information is known no later than Jan. 16, 2024,” the statement reads.

This was the second blaze that Balgonie Fire Department had to deal with in less than 14 hours. Chief Doug Lapchuk says fighting is extreme weather conditions has been an excruciating task.

“It’s not only hard on our equipment but it’s hard on our men. You ice up head to toe, you can’t move your hands, your gloves freeze into the position that they were last in,” he said.

Lapchuk says the fire department — entirely volunteer run — has tried their best to purchase the highest quality of equipment that they can.

A few hours before the blaze, Balgonie Fire Department took 8 hours to battle a housefire during the early morning hours of Jan. 17, while temperatures dipped as low as -53 degrees celsius, wind-chill included.