Pupils, staff and emergency services praised after school fire

Ted Peskett, local democracy reporter

The actions of pupils, staff and emergency services was pivotal in the avoidance of a school fire ending in a “horrific situation”, a council official has said.

Vale of Glamorgan Council’s head of strategy, community learning and resources, Trevor Baker, addressed councillors recently about the response to a fire that broke out a St Athan Primary School on Wednesday, February 12.

Two classrooms and two computer areas were destroyed in the incident, which saw hundreds of pupils evacuated, but no-one was injured.

Speaking to members of the council’s learning and culture scrutiny committee meeting on Monday, March 3, Mr Baker said an investigation into the causes of the fire was ongoing.

The school will be re-opening to all staff and pupils from March 6.

Evacuated

Mr Baker commended the actions of staff, pupils and emergency services on the day of the fire, adding that the school was evacuated in two minutes and that South Wales Fire and Rescue attended the scene in time to contain the fire to one block.

He said: “We talk about the importance of health and safety and preparedness.

“This is a perfect example of where that has come to fruition… in terms of the school’s ability to evacuate the kids on time.”

St Athan Primary School is currently subject to roofing renewal works and works to address issues identified in the building’s condition survey carried out in January, 2022.

The fire broke out above the ICT block at the south end of the school. Storage areas and a toilet area were also destroyed in the blaze.

Water damage to the Juniors’ hall next to the damaged block will require remedial works to the wood flooring.

Mr Baker said: “There weren’t any kids in the vicinity of that part of the building anyway because there were structural works happening.”

Remote learning

He also pointed out that the aftermath of the incident was an example of how lessons were learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic, adding that there was a “seamless transition to remote learning”

Mr Baker went on to commend the acting head of the school, Louise Davies, and said she and her staff, as well as pupils, families, council officers and the wider community “all pitched in and made what could have been a horrific situation something far less impactful.”

Local councillors for St Athan, Cllr Stephen Haines and Cllr Julie Lynch-Wilson, echoed Mr Baker in praising members of the public and community services for their response to the school fire.

Cllr Lynch-Wilson said the incident was a “reminder of how we need to look after our schools, our communities… and I can’t thank everybody enough.”

She added: “They [pupils] were all worried.

“Parents are worried and this is just a reminder that when things happen and when crises happens, community is everything.”