fire ripped through their three story apartment building The Royal Gazette can reveal.

Lynice Nisbett, Lakeefa Smith, Makaba Simmons, Michelle Wainwright and Rhoda Musson are reported to have lost everything including their school books, computers, clothes, furniture and personal belongings in the blaze which completely gutted the wooden apartment building in Lancaster, Massachusetts last Friday. The five female students are Seventh-day Adventists and are among the 40-50 Bermudians currently attending Atlantic Union College, an Adventist school in the US.

Already generous Islanders have raised more than $10,000 in aid of the young students. The offerings were made by Adventists at their regular Saturday services last week.

Flames quickly enveloped the building owned by the school, after a grease fire broke out in the kitchen in one of the apartments at around 6 p.m.

According to a school spokesman, the pan of grease which ignited on the stove was extinguished by "a quick thinking student from another apartment''. But the real problem emerged as the tenants did not realise that the fire had spread to the inside of cabinets over the stove.

"Fire and emergency equipment rushed to the scene from Lancaster and surrounding towns,'' a spokesman for the school reported. "But their valiant efforts throughout the cold and windy night succeeded only in keeping the flames from spreading to other nearby dwellings.

"The building was condemned and torn down two days later.'' Eleven of the 13 apartments were occupied at the time of the blaze but luckily all 27 people, including children, managed to escape unharmed.

The college has instituted temporary housing for the devastated students at the college dormitories and free meals are being provided in the school's dining hall, "until more permanent housing arrangements can be made''.

"Trauma counselling is available through the Chaplain's office and the college counsellors, while general support is being shown by the overwhelming response of the students, faculty, staff, church members and the community,'' the spokesman said.

Students escape fire horror "Personal care items, including new hair dryers, new and used clothing, toys, and household items were quickly donated,'' the spokesman added.

In an effort to aid students who lost their computers the college have sped up plans to replace computers in the computer lab, so that the used computers can be loaned to the fire victims.

The Red Cross was quick on the scene on the night of the fire, providing all victims with a change of clothing and funds to purchase immediately needed personal items. The organisation has also said it will assist students with the replacement of furniture, once appropriate housing is found.

The college noted that special local fundraisers have already brought in $2,000.

While none of the fire victims had personal insurance, the actual building was fully insured and the college noted plans to rebuild for occupancy in the autumn.

Anyone wishing to aid students at the college devastated by the fire can send their donations to `Fire Victims Fund' in care of the Bermuda Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 41 King Street, Hamilton HM19.

Seventh Day Adventist pastor David Rogers, said that fundrasing began with calls being made to all local ministers in the denomination as soon as news of the tragedy hit.

"Before they (the victims) even said anything, we called all the pastors and on Saturday morning over $10,000 was collected for the girls,'' he said. "I'm sure they will be able to use it because they lost absolutely everything, their computers, their school notes their clothing. In fact I'm sure the losses are actually a lot more, so if the community wants to chip in and help I'm sure that would be appreciated.'' BERMUDIANS BER Makeba Simmons