Firefighters in desperate battle to save school

Special needs unit destroyed in blaze

A raging inferno tore through a Fife secondary school last night.

Pupils were among those who lined the streets and watched in horror as 40 firefighters from across Fife battled to save the entire building from being engulfed by the flames.

The blaze broke out just after 5pm in the department of additional support which is a single storey extension at Woodmill Secondary School in Dunfermline.

The school will be closed to pupils today after the fire destroyed the special needs unit and spread to the dining hall.

Nine appliances were engaged in the battle into the early hours to contain the blaze and stop it from spreading to the main school building.

However, late last night a shift in the wind fanned the flames and sent them towards the main school block, prompting fears the whole school could be lost.

Hundreds of people congregated at the scene and clouds of thick black smoke were visible from as far away as Edinburgh.

The fire happened just three days after the school had returned following the summer break and pupil Fraser Brown described the scenes unfolding as “distressing”.

A major emergency response was scrambled yesterday after a raging inferno tore through a Fife secondary school.

The blaze broke out just after 5pm in the Department of Additional Support (DAS), a single-storey extension at Woodmill Secondary School in Dunfermline.

The school will be closed to all pupils today following the devastating fire, which destroyed the special needs unit and spread to the dining hall.

More than 40 firefighters and nine appliances were engaged in the battle into the early hours to contain the blaze and stop it from spreading to the main school building.

Hundreds of people watched in horror as the fire took hold.

They stood on the playing fields opposite the school and nearby streets before police moved them back.

The DAS unit was destroyed just after 8.30pm.

Cars lined the pavements on Woodmill Road as people watched from their vehicles.

Residents living nearby were told to stay indoors and keep windows and doors shut, but no homes in the area were evacuated.

Shields Road was closed by police and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service asked people to avoid the area to allow access by the emergency services.

Blair Cameron, 19, from Rosyth, was among those who gathered to watch events unfold yesterday evening.

“You could see the smoke at the Hillfield flyover in Inverkeithing when I came down just after 6pm,” he said.

“You could feel the heat when you got here and all you could hear was sirens.

“The smoke started getting thicker and the police started to move people back because it was getting dangerous.

“This is the worst fire I have seen in recent years. You could see the flames from across the water in Edinburgh.”

Former pupil David Wardle, 52, said it was emotional watching his old school go up in smoke.

“A lot of kids who use the additional support department will be affected quite badly,” he said. “It’s a shame to see a local landmark going up in flames.”

Fire crews continued to fight the blaze well into the night and it is expected they will still be at the scene today.

A joint fire and police investigation into the cause is expected to take place once the blaze has been brought fully under control.

A spokeswoman for Fife Council said: “The school will be closed to all pupils.

“The fire is still burning and until we can be sure of what damage there’s been pupils need to stay at home until further notice.”

Picture: David Wardle. Firefighters at the scene as the blaze rips through the school last night.

Pictures: Wullie Marr. More than 40 firefighters and nine appliances were engaged in the battle to contain the inferno.

The thick smoke rises high into the sky from the blazing school in this drone image sent by Dan Casey.

Picture: David Wardle. Firefighters silhouetted against the flames.