Boy charged after fire engulfs high school
A fire ravaged school will be closed to the pupils until the end of this week at the earliest as investigations continue into the extent of the damage.
Around 1,400 children at Woodmill High in Dunfermline have been told to stay home for the rest of the week following the blaze on Sunday evening.
At its height, more than 80 firefighters and 15 appliances were fighting the “large and complex” fire, after it spread from an annexe, home to the school’s additional support needs department and dining hall, to the main building.
Police Scotland said a 14-year-old boy had been arrested in connection with the blaze, which it is treating as suspicious He is due to appear at Dunfermline Sheriff Court today.
It is understood Fife Council is liaising with neighbouring local authorities over how best to accommodate pupils.
The school’s head teacher said although it was too soon to determine the extent of the damage to the campus, it was “clearly extensive”.
Sandy Mcintosh 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.”
Mr Mcintosh said the fire was only extinguished yesterday morning, meaning the school was “still at the early stages of assessing the damage”.
He added: “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.”
In a joint statement, the coleaders of Fife Council, David Alexander and David Ross, said: “This is a very sad day for Dunfermline and Fife and the school community of Woodmill are understandably devastated.
“It is too soon to say how badly damaged the school is, or how long it will need to remain closed. We’d like to reassure our pupils and their families that it is an absolute priority for us to get them back in school as soon as possible.”
They thanked Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Police Scotland for their response, adding: “Thankfully no-one has been injured but our thoughts are with the staff, pupils and families as they come to terms with what has happened.”