South Downs College burnt down in 1978
Completed in 1974 at a cost of more than £1m, fire-ravaged South Downs College at Purbrook, was facing having to be rebuilt.
Forensic experts were at the site trying to discover the cause of a major fire which caused the roof and top floor to collapse.
The serious structural damage to the building could be seen in the picture, above.
Students had been told not to return until official notification had been sent out to them.
Robert Crosby, the college principal, said he was on his way to work when he saw ahead of him smoke rising.
But it was not until he neared the college he realised the scale of the fire. During the height of the blaze, flames were seen from more than two miles away.