The school is on fire!!

[schoolonfire]

Changed name as v outing, but dds high school has been on fire since 4.30 and is still spreading.

We’ve had a text to say the school will be shut tomorrow (obviously) but it’s looks so bad I think they’re going to lose the school altogether.

Has anyone any experience of what will happen to the students in this awful scenario? Dd has just started first year (Scotland). Just really pray nobody was hurt, so awful, can actually see the flames for miles.

I’m glad I changed my name as it’s pretty obvious where I live now!

Going to be especially hard for the children who attend the additional needs department and their parents.

That's my area too, so shocking.

Just glad it didn't happen when pupils/staff were in.

I'm not far from you either. Fill up some water bottles. I've heard on FB that people near by in AV have had their water cut off.

Not my school but a school near us burnt down almost completely when i was at school. This was the 90s. I remember having some pupils from that school coming to ours for about 3 months I think. They were split between the 3 nearby schools.

@allymcn yep I'm in AV and water is either cut off or just no pressure so trickling our.
It's absolutely awful!

OP I reckon it'll be the portakabin solution, AFAIK all the schools in the area are pretty much at capacity anyway! Really hope it doesn't turn out to be arson that's caused this.

Just re-read, I meant the fire is awful not the having no water.

This takes me right back to the 1960s when the primary school I was at burnt down, it was arson. I can still remember how upset we all were when we saw the shell of the building. The juniors went up the road to a children’s home and the younger ones were taught in Porta cabins. It was a horrible time.

@justatemporaryname I'm just across from St C's high. Please let me know if you need water bottles or anything filled up. ❤️

My primary school was partially burnt down in about 1983. We were housed in portacabins and other parts of the school until the rebuild finished. We still talk about it!
I might imagine the school might welcome offers of help maybe?

This is just so sad, hopefully all contained to one area but would be a miracle if the main school doesn’t have some damage. Can’t believe it’s still going on. Can see the smoke still going across the sky. Just hope everyone is ok.

@allymcn thank you so much! I've managed to get some bottles filled from the trickle so should be fine.
Going by comment on hammers, doesn't look like it'll be under control any time soon 😔

My school burnt down during the summer of the year before I did my GCSEs. We returned for the new term one or two weeks later than planned did the next two years, and our exams, in temporary classrooms.

Those in the year about who had lost coursework got compassionate marking, based on their classwork grades.

We’re not in av area and still got water here luckily. Dh can drop water off to anyone that needs it, @justatemporaryname do you need anything?
Just had eldest dc look out window, can see smaller flames now so looks like they’re getting it under control. Will be shocking to see in the daylight I think.

Aw @allymcn I’ve just seen you offered temporary too that’s very kind of you

@justatemporaryname Christ....... just seen the last post on that page! Windows firmly closed. Stay safe!

I’m not in Scotland but in my county in England all schools have a continuity plan for this ( or should have!) As an LA we would immediately have a continuity team set up, with reps from all parties (school, transport team, education support, health and safety, property, finance plus I would guess in this case Fire service etc) Possible that children will be taken temporarily ( by class or year group) to other schools who have classroom capacity, before plans in place for temporary buildings (portacabin types) in these cases our LA pay for transport etc. It’s very sad to see though, hope it gets resolved soon.

I spoke too soon

Just also read on one of the local pages that it’s hit the main school. Really hoping that’s rumour - they seemed to be doing ok at containing it. Just awful.

Such a shame. Know where you mean. Would imagine kids will be sent to nearest schools with space.

We got bussed to a different school when there was fire damage in my secondary school.

I'm not far away from you op.

@Boysnme there’s a photo on jammers where you can see it’s on the top floor of main building

I know which school you mean OP. Do you remember when Morgan Academy in Dundee burnt down? All the kids got decanted into other schools until it was rebuilt.

I'm very near there too. There must be a few of us from Dunfermline on here.

Thankfully my little ones aren't high school age yet - it will be so disruptive for staff and pupils both at woodmill and the schools that absorb them in the short term. The school is constantly used for community use as well (eg waterbabies and rugbytots are both there plus many other clubs and classes).

I'm in the next big town and I can smell it burning! I think the council will go for portacabins, there is no room for them any where else!

schoolonfire just seen it on Twitter, those poor firefighters must be exhausted.