Nov 08 2008
Latest - School Collapses in Haiti – Tragic News - Over 90 Children Dead - Owner of the Collapsed School in Port-au-Price is to Be Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter - 400 more still feared missing
The owner of a collapsed School in Petionville, Port-au-Price has been arrested and is to be charged with involuntary manslaughter
A school collapsed in the suburb Petionville, Haiti, just a few miles from Port-au-Price. It happened without warning on Friday at 10’0’clock in the morning; a time when the school children would have been in their lessons. Reported deaths are numbered at over 90 with survivors only numbering 4 to date.
It is now thought that there could have been as many as 500 children and teachers inside the three story school. This is a tragedy on a huge scale and it shouldn’t have been allowed to happen. Rogue builders and buildings are rife in Haiti.
The three story school building fell to the ground with no prior warning and building practices are now being called into question in Haiti. Distraught mothers anxiously wait while the rescuers dig frantically with their bare hands to search for the children.
A large slab of concrete is visible to the top of the building which looks to have been the roof of the school, and it appears too top heavy for the building. Apparently there are many of these illegally constructed buildings in this impoverished country.
American specialists have arrived on the scene along with Martinique workers who have come to out help out, but their efforts are being hindered by chaos and hampered by the frantic crowds, who are blocking the narrow access roads. But at least they have the right equipment now to deal with this disaster and hopes are more urgent now, as time draws on.
The children would have stood no chance as the building collapsed like a pack of cards around them. Four children have now been rescued from pockets of safety, though over 90 are reported dead, and many children are still missing.
The nearby hospital is full to breaking point with bewildered mothers and injured children who are too young to understand what has happened to them. The President of Haiti, Rene Preval, arrived on the scene to give his support and urge on the helpers to try and find the children.
Haiti is still recovering from two recent storms and hurricanes which devastated the Island and left the houses steeped in mud, and with over 800 hundred people dead. -
Christianna Garrett-Martin
Reference: Sky News.
It’s such a shame. It probably could have been avoided with proper building. All are in my prayers.
This really is terrible, particularly the fact that there are many of these illegally constructed buildings in Haiti and that it’s therefore likely to happen time and time again in the future. It’s dreadful that so much death and destruction has been caused here, that so many young children have lost their lives, and that many families are now left completely devastated.
It’s horrible when things like this happen, particularly when it involves children as it always makes it all the more alarming I find. These were young people with so much more to give and live for in their lifetimes, and now they’re no more. It really is dreadful, you’ve covered the issue magnificently well however and your reporting on this terrible disaster is fantastic. You’re a highly skilled writer and as always your fantastic flow and talent comes through phenomenally well here.