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Ortons: Fire forces pupils to evacuate
MORE than 1,000 pupils at Orton Longueville School were evacuated on Monday (22 June) after a fire broke out in a toilet block.
MORE than 1,000 pupils at Orton Longueville School were evacuated on Monday (22 June) after a fire broke out in a toilet block.The youngsters, aged 11 years to 18 years, at the school, in Oundle Road, had to leave lessons after the fire set off automatic alarms.
No one was injured but an investigation involving the police and fire service has swung into action to determine the cause, which is believed to be deliberate.
The drama began at about 10.35am and the youngsters were kept out of the school for an hour while fire crews tackled the incident.
The crews, from Dosthorpe and Stanground, arrived to find a fire in toilets at Block A – the reception and English teaching block – of the school.
The fire caused minor damage to the fixtures and fittings of toilet cubicles in the toilet block.
The pupils were taken out of their morning lessons following the fire and their usual timetable was suspended until lunchtime at 12.35pm.
The school's headteacher, John Catton said: "The investigation is still ongoing and we have asked police to join us and the fire service with this.
"It's a very unusual event for a school and not something that Orton Longueville School has had in the past, especially not in my time at the school.
"It's potentially a very serious matter and we need to treat it with the utmost seriousness.
"Our well-rehearsed emergency procedures were put into place in an effective manner, which staff and pupils responded to wonderfully."
A spokesperson for the police said: "We can confirm we are looking into this matter and appealing for information on the incident."
Anyone who may have information about the incident is urged to contact the police immediately on 0845 456 4564 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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