City of PoCo accepting donations for supplies after suspected school arson

The City of Port Coquitlam is accepting donations of cash and school supplies to help students and teachers impacted by a fire that destroyed an elementary school on the city's south side over the weekend.

Hazel Trembath School went up in flames around 3 a.m. Saturday and investigators believe the fire was deliberately set.

"What has happened here is just truly disgraceful. I don't know how that person, or that group of people can look themselves in the mirror," said Mayor Brad West.

Donation bins have been set up at community centres and city hall so people can drop off school supplies.

The School District 43 Foundation is also accepting cash donations through its website.

Eventually students from Hazel Trembath will return to class at Winslow Centre, six kilometres away in Coquitlam.

The former school now serves as a school district administrative facility.

It was buzzing with activity Monday as district staff coordinated with work crews tasked with getting the building ready to host classes again.

West, who has a son who attends Hazel Trembath, said he believes the district will be arranging daily bus transportation from the site of the burned down school to Winslow Centre.

"Given what was available and the ability to keep people together, I know we're all really appreciative of that," he said.

It's not clear exactly when classes will begin at Winslow Centre but the district hopes to get the students back in school as quickly as possible.

Both Port Coquitlam Fire and Coquitlam RCMP declined interview requests about the alleged arson.