Huge blaze at old school ‘was arson’

A HUGE blaze at a former school site in Anglesey is being treated as arson.

Police have launched a criminal probe after the disused building next to Huws Gray builders merchant on Bridge Street in Llangefni caught fire at 12.10am last Thursday.

The fire was on land which was formerly part of the Ysgol y Bont site.

The fire service confirmed that the blaze was being treated as arson.

Police are now appealing for witnesses.

The blaze led to the closure of the road between Home Bargains and Capel Uchaf as fire crews battled the flames.

A North Wales Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “We were called to reports of a fire at a derelict building on Bridge Street in Llangefni at 12.10am today. We sent four fire engines and an aerial ladder platform to the scene. There is 20% fire damage to the building and 100% smoke damage. Firefighters tackled the blaze for more than three hours with a stop being called at 3.25am.”

The blaze destroyed large part of the roof.

Outline plans for more than 50 new homes have recently been submitted to planning chiefs for the land.

Bearmont Homes Ltd want to build 52 homes, having been given the goahead to submit a formal submission after the initial screening application was reviewed by planners.

The site in question lies on the school’s former playing fields and sits just behind the recently built Hafan Cefni extra care development on Industrial Estate Road.

The plans include the demolition of the existing buildings, including the former Canolfan Athrawon (teacher’s centre) and other empty buildings facing Bridge Street, to make way for the proposed 36 houses and 16 flats.

It also sits yards away from a proposed new Lidl supermarket which has already been granted planning permission for where the town’s Ysgol y Graig once stood.