13 Nov 2012
A fire broke out at a secondary school in Hampshire causing the building to be evacuated.
The incident happened at Clere Secondary School in Burghclere at just before 2pm on November 7, with the blaze starting in the roof of the sports hall.
Solar panels in the vicinity complicated the fire fighting effort, according to the Newbury and Thatcham Chronicle.
As a result officers used compressed air foam from inside the building to tackle the blaze as more than 700 pupils were escorted to safety.
A structural engineer from Basingstoke & Deane Council had to attend to the scene as the drama ensued to check on the integrity of the building, and he gave fire crews the go-ahead to continue with their efforts.
Although around a fifth of the roof was damaged in the fire the crews managed to save the roof.
All commercial properties in England and Wales must be subjected to a “suitable and sufficient” fire risk assessment under the terms of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Up to two years in prison or an unlimited fine are the potential penalties faced by the Responsible Person should they fail to comply with the regulations.
Copyright Press Association 2012