Fire-damaged Gatineau school is closed for the year

Students and staff at École secondaire Mont-Bleu in Gatineau will be moved to a nearby high school for the remainder of the school year after fire damaged the building during last week's violent storm.

Around 1,500 students were displaced after lightning struck the building Friday, sparking the fire.

The school will remain closed until the end of the 2018-19 school year and students will be transferred to École secondaire de l'Île, according to a news release from the Commission scolaire des portages-de-l'Outaouais (CSPO).

At a meeting Wednesday night, the school board confirmed the Mont-Bleu students will have classes from 8:25 a.m. to 12:49 p.m. and the École secondaire de l'Île students will be in class from 1:10 p.m. to 5:34 p.m.

Starts after Thanksgiving

Nadine Peterson, the school board's assistant general director, said they know the new schedule will be difficult for people but they are doing what they can with a tough situation.  

"It is a big thing that is going on. It is a disaster that we have in front of us and there is no good solution," she said.

"I think we took the best one."

Classes are suspended until at least Oct. 5 for Mont-Bleu students, but are expected to resume at the new school on Oct. 9.

People are being asked to stay away from the Mont-Bleu school and its grounds.

The board said arrangements will be made so students can pick up any items left behind when the school was evacuated.