World

Haiti School Owner Detained by Police

by Jordan Yerman | November 9, 2008 at 09:35 am

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The pastor who ran the school that collapsed in Haiti has been detained. Hatian crews as well as Aid groups from France, Canada, the US, the UN, and Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) are still searching for survivors, and several children have been found alive.

Fortin Augustin, who owns College La Promesse Evangelique in Petionville, surrendered to authorities on Saturday, police spokesman Garry Desrosier told The Associated Press.

Desrosier said Augustin has not been charged. He is currently being detained at a police station near Port-au-Prince.

As many as 700 children were on the school grounds, celebrating the school's birthday when the building collapsed about 10 a.m. Friday ET, said Abel Nazaire, deputy coordinator of Risk and Disaster Management in Port-au-Prince.

"Haitian authorities are looking into the matter," Justice Secretary Joseph-Luc Euchere told AFP. He said the pastor, Augustin Fortain, was being questioned but "has not been formally charged with anything."

"We are not going to act on emotion," he said.