A large fire struck on Friday evening (26) the Colégio Marista Santa Maria, a private institution with 120 years of history located on Rua Floriano Peixoto, in the center of Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul.
The fire broke out around 7:30 p.m. and consumed the upper floors of the building, generating an intense cloud of smoke visible from several blocks away. Teams from the firefighters, military brigade, Samu and Civil Defense were called and worked for more than three hours to bring the flames under control.
According to school management, the building was empty when the fire broke out and no injuries were reported. The institution informed, in a press release, that “the safety of students, families and employees is our top priority” and that it will continue to collaborate with the authorities to investigate the causes of the accident.
There is still no official information on the causes of the fire or the extent of the damage caused to the school structure.
As a preventive measure, residents of neighboring buildings were evacuated and surrounding roads were blocked to fight the flames. After the fire was primarily brought under control, teams carried out a sweep to eliminate the remaining outbreaks.
The school, one of the most traditional in the interior of Rio Grande do Sul, celebrated 120 years of activity in February this year and has historical and architectural value for the local community. Politicians and residents deplored this episode on social networks and called for a rapid investigation into the causes of the fire.
On social networks, the mayor of Santa Maria, Rodrigo Decimo (PSD), said he was following the case. “The Town Hall has already made its entire structure available, including Civil Defense, to provide assistance if necessary. Our priority is the safety of all,” he underlined.
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