Swanmore College provides an update after minor fire causes the school to close for the day
A headteacher has praised the response of its staff and pupils after a fire resulted in the closure of a Hampshire school today.
Swanmore College on New Road was forced to close on Friday, March 14 after a small fire broke out in its catering kitchen at around 10.30am. The blaze was extinguished prior to firefighters reaching the premises but after an inspection by the Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service, they advised that the school be closed for the remainder of the day.
Kyle Jonathan, headteacher of the school, praised staff and pupils for their reaction to the incident and confirmed that the school will be open as usual on Monday, March 17.
He said: “I am immensely proud of the quick and calm response of our pupils and staff during this incident. Our well-rehearsed evacuation procedures ensured the safety of everyone on site.
“We extend our sincere gratitude to the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service for their prompt and professional assistance, as well as to our dedicated staff for their exceptional handling of the situation.”
A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) spokesperson said that on-call personnel from Bishop’s Waltham were alerted at roughly 10.30am. A small blaze had broken out in the kitchen and was contained there.
“As the crew arrived at the building, which was fully evacuated, they found that the fire in the cooking unit was already out. The crew isolated the electrical supply and inspected the affected unit before providing safety advice.”
A message on Swanmore College’s website has confirmed that the school will reopen on Monday where “a full food service will be available”.