A major fire destroyed the roof of the National High School of Applied Arts "Trevnenska Shkola" in the Bulgarian town of Tryavna on April 4. The fire, which broke out around 3:00 a.m., prompted an immediate emergency response, with three firefighting teams arriving from Tryavna and Gabrovo. Although the blaze has since been brought under control, authorities continue working at the site to investigate the cause and manage the aftermath.

Seventeen students were in the school’s dormitory at the time of the incident, staying for a practical training session during the spring vacation. They were promptly evacuated and accommodated in the Tryavna Municipality building, where they have been provided with food and water. According to the school’s management, there were no injuries or casualties as a result of the fire.

Initial indications suggest the fire may have started due to a short circuit in the computer room, although the investigation is ongoing. The flames spread quickly through the roof, which was built with wooden beams dating back to 1932. Two-thirds of the roof structure was destroyed, along with parts of the third-floor offices. The dormitory itself was not damaged by the fire.

The educational process at the high school has been suspended for at least two weeks, and the students will be returning to their hometowns. In the meantime, the school will switch to online learning. School director Orfey Mindov stated that declaring a short-term break in attendance was necessary to ensure safety and to assess the damage properly.

Tryavna Mayor Dencho Minev, who arrived at the scene during the night, described the damage as severe and emphasized the need for urgent support from the state and the Ministry of Culture, under whose jurisdiction the school falls. He stressed that a significant amount of funding would be required for restoration and called for fast and adequate intervention.

Traffic in the area around the high school is being managed as police and fire department teams continue their work. Local authorities have praised the coordination between services during the emergency, which helped ensure the safe evacuation of the students and staff.

Sources:

• BNT
• BNR
• facebook.com/TryavnaMunicipality