Hundreds of children on the Sagkeeng First Nation are left without a place to learn after a fire destroyed the community's elementary school Sunday evening.
The blaze broke out at the Anicinabe Community School around 8 p.m.
Chief Donovan Fontaine said the fire started on the roof, causing major damage. He said it took fire fighters nearly two hours to get the blaze under control. Crews were monitoring the smoldering building late into the night.
The school's principal says the loss is heartbreaking for the community.
"A lot of the kids I used to teach, their kids are going to school here, so there's a lot of history," said Rick Fewchuck.
"Devastating because there are lots of memories, just like even the people that taught here, the people that passed," said former student Carly Fontaine.
School officials think the cause may be electrical and started in the wall between the school and portable classroom. The Manitoba Office of the Fire Commissioner is still investigating.
Community leaders held a meeting Monday morning to figure out a plan for the 260 students.
Fewchuck says the preferred option is to have classes resume at the community's learning centre next week.
The cost of the damage isn't yet known.
-- with a report from CTV's Deborah Mensah-Bonsu
