A devastating fire that tore through the historic Escola Municipal Prada in Limeira, São Paulo, last Friday has forced a significant operational shift for the local education system. Approximately 300 students who attended the school are set to return to their studies this coming Friday, but they will do so in two entirely new, temporary locations as determined by the city administration.
The plan, finalized after a meeting on Wednesday, splits the student body by age group. The youngest learners, those in Early Childhood Education, will attend classes at the Emeief Major José Levy Sobrinho school in the Jardim Esteves neighborhood. This facility is situated roughly 500 to 600 meters from the original Prada school site, offering some proximity for families.
The larger group, comprising students from Elementary School, will be housed at the Professor Training Center, which operates within the headquarters of the Municipal Secretariat of Education in the Parque Cidade area. This space will be configured with six classrooms to accommodate 12 different class groups throughout the day, running six sessions in the morning and six in the afternoon.
However, a critical safety concern has emerged regarding one of these temporary sites. The city's Education Secretary, Antônio Montesano Neto, confirmed that the Professor Training Center, much like the destroyed historic building, does not possess the Auto de Vistoria do Corpo de Bombeiros (AVCB). This essential document, issued by the fire department, certifies that a building meets adequate safety standards, including fire extinguishers, emergency signage, and fire-resistant doors.
The absence of the AVCB is not an isolated issue. Secretary Montesano Neto disclosed that 37 municipal schools in Limeira are currently operating without this certification. The problem is a legacy one; when the current administration took office in January 2025, they identified 56 schools in irregular conditions. The secretary noted that full regularization is a complex, long-term process, especially for older buildings—some over 80 years old—constructed under different standards.
The fire at Escola Prada, which investigators believe may have started due to faulty electrical wiring, destroyed a building with deep historical roots. The structure, which will celebrate 80 years in June 2027, is a listed historical heritage site. It was once part of the Prada complex, home to one of the largest hat factories in Latin America, and an estimated 30,000 students have passed through its doors.
For now, the Secretariat of Education building serves as a provisional headquarters. The city is navigating bureaucratic and legal hurdles to secure a more permanent and suitable school facility. In the meantime, efforts are underway to provide necessary infrastructure, including meal distribution, teaching materials, and furniture for the relocated students. Officials are also consulting architects and engineers to assess whether the original Prada school's walls can be salvaged and restored, pending a scientific police report and specialized evaluations.
Based on reporting from g1.