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.

The thing is it easy to divide a primary school up between, church halls and community centres. The kids stay with one teacher all day. So not a big issue if infants are in different place to seniors.

But it is much more difficult to have the maths department in a community centre and English in a church hall further down the street, etc.
A high school needs to be kept together.

@64sNewName Two firefighters were taken to hospital and treated with heat exhaustion, so people were directly hurt.

I agree that there is no way the boy or boys could have foreseen the extent of the damage they were causing. I heard the boy's father handed him into the police, so yes will negatively impact on the family too, I know his name is being passed round social media so there will be loads of backlash even though he cannot be named officially.

I also have some sympathy for what the boy/ boys and their family will have to face.

64sNewName
"Been thinking about this a lot this morning. Fourteen is so young, and the scale of what this child has done will be incomprehensible to him right now. But the ripples potentially go so far through the community: affecting countless people’s stress levels, health, incomes, education. The long-term effects of all that burning asbestos - who knows what those might be?

It seems like a life-ruining, or at least life-changing event for his family and potentially for so many others. And of course people could have been injured or killed fighting the fire.

I am trying to imagine how I’d feel if my son (currently slightly younger) had done this, and this was the result. I can’t even comprehend how bad that must feel.

Don’t know why it’s preying on my mind - just fear, I guess. Fear/horror at how easily young people can fuck up in awful, awful ways. I really feel for everyone involved."

I so agree with this post .So dreadful for all involved .

Have been out this morning and spoken to a few stressed parents and pupils. People just very much in shock.

Police are sitting outside St C's just now filtering traffic away from the area but St Cs seems to be running as normal bar kids being filtered out slightly differently for lunch.

Wish there was something we could do to help but can't even think.

Awful. A friends son is at the school.

Such a senseless act.

Council's latest statement

Here is the latest information on the situation at Woodmill High School following last night's devastating fire. The school will definitely be closed to all pupils for the rest of the week.

Sandy McIntosh, Head Teacher at Woodmill High School said: “Based on the information we have at the moment, pupils will not be able to return to school this week. We understand this is very disruptive for families - we’re investigating all our options and will keep parents, pupils and staff updated as we progress.
“Teachers are working on ways to help pupils continue with their study from home and will be in touch soon.
“The fire was only extinguished this morning, so we’re still at the early stages of assessing the damage, although it’s clearly extensive.
“We’re looking at all our options for accommodating pupils in both the short and long term. I’d like to thank everyone who’s offered help and support. It’s all greatly appreciated and will help us as we consider what’s going to be best for our young people.
“We realise this is a difficult time for our families and the wider community and we’ll be putting in place a range of support in the coming days and weeks.”

Is the whole school gone? It's hard to tell from the photos.

Things like this scare me as a parent. How easily teenagers do stupid things with potentially major and long lasting consequences. They just don't realise. Of course no teenager should be starting a fire in a bin, it is dangerous and reckless. But they just don't think it through.

I hope he faces consequences but I hope they don't blight his entire future. His family must be (should be) so upset.

No I don’t think the whole school is gone. Mostly DAS and dining hall but damage elsewhere.

Some of the main building has been hit and it looks like everything has smoke/water damage. If you aren't local there's a local Facebook page called Fife Jammers which has lots of photos.

Not a school, but the shopping centre I work in had a major fire in July. Looking at photos from the day of the fire there were real fears about the entire roof coming down but we've all been very surprised how quickly the areas that weren't actually hit by fire but just sufferered smoke and water damage have been able to be cleaned and fixed. One section that suffered structural damage is expected to remain closed for at least 6 months but the majority of stores are due to reopen next week. Hope the school will find itself in a similar situation where some of the building might be back up and running sooner than expected.

The setting fires in bins thing is ridiculous lately - we’ve had at least 3 incidents in the last year where they’ve set a fire in the bin and moved it to stand next to the local library in an attempt to set that on fire. Granted our local idiots seem to be a) really bad at casual arson, and b) lack the sense to realise it’s on a bloody massively main road so the fire brigade get called in seconds - so so far the library’s escaped unscathed - but it’s a nightmare.

We live nearby and everyone is trying to focus on how they can help. The pictures are just awful and I feel for everyone effected including the boys family.

Where I used to live suffered from a fire in a bin. An upmarket supermarket was really badly damaged. Luckily it was also closed at the time but took weeks for it to be repaired.

I hope they can come up with a workable solution for the school. A horrible situation to be in.

For those who know the school.
The das and lunch hall are basically shells and E,F&G block is badly damaged .
The tec/library wing is untouched. A,B&C block appears to have minor fire damage plus smoke and water damage.
I can't see the gym block but it doesn't seem that the fire got that far

It's reported that neighbouring LAs have offered support - other high schools such as Kinross and South Queensferry aren't that far away so they could be included in decamping for various subjects.

Thanks woodmillburns. Who knew there was so many from hereabouts on MN. Is there a way to pledge support? As a parent of an S3 I'm more than happy to muck in in any way that can help,

I see they have arrested someone for it now. Thank god, goodness knows how they will find adequate schools for all the children who attend that school

There have been loads of posts on social media offering help in the aftermath, the Turkish baths offering free massages for emergency services involved, Knockhill offering a free day out for pupils and the ceramic cafe offering free painting this week.

I saw a screenshot of an instagram post of the boy responsible apologising to the community, he seems genuinely upset and it was a stupid prank gone wrong. Not sharing as it names him and probably also goes against reporting events before trial.

The justgiving page is at 10,700+
Hope it just keeps rumbling in. When the school gets back together wherever I think that will be well used.

Seeing lots of fundraising events popping up now.

Curious as to the result of tonight's meeting. Wonder what has happened to S5/S6?